H.B. 1020 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1020 By: Villarreal Human Services Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Employers in Texas that provide health and dependent-care benefits to employees contribute to the state's economic health. Making healthcare and child care benefits affordable for working parents may eliminate their dependence on publicly-funded services. Historically, healthy employees tend to be more productive than employees without health benefit coverage, thereby contributing to the state's economic growth. The provision of these benefits yields tax benefits to the employers, and such companies do experience lower levels of turnover and absenteeism compared to employers that do not offer similar benefits. House Bill 1020 requires the Work and Family Policies Clearinghouse to encourage employers to promote dependent care benefits to its employees. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 1020 amends the Labor Code by requiring the Work and Family Policies Clearinghouse to encourage employers to provide employee dependent care benefits by: _promoting the economic benefits realized by employers who provide dependent care benefits; _advertising the availability of federal and state tax incentives for employee dependent care benefits; _providing technical assistance to employers for establishing employee dependent care benefit programs; and _providing technical assistance and managerial support to dependent care providers. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, if the necessary vote is received, or if the necessary vote is not received, the Act takes effect September 1, 2003.