H.B. 1820 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1820 By: Oliveira Economic Development Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE H-2A visas permit immigrants work in agriculture in the United States. Under federal law, these workers are required to return to their native country when their work is completed, and are not eligible to receive Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits. Under state law, however, employers must report these workers' wages and pay unemployment taxes on those wages. HB 1820 exempts from the term "employment" work performed by H2A workers, thus employers will not have to pay unemployment insurance taxes of these workers. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS HB 1820 amends the Labor Code to exclude from the definition of employment, services performed by non-resident aliens in the United States under an H2-A visa if the service is not considered employment under the Federal Unemployment Tax Act. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2003.