| TO: | Honorable Bob Deuell, Chair, Senate Committee on Economic Development |
| FROM: | Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB21 by Williams (Relating to drug screening or testing as a condition for the receipt of unemployment compensation benefits by certain individuals.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted |
This bill would amend the Labor Code relating to drug screening or testing as a condition for the receipt of unemployment compensation benefits by certain individuals. The bill would require the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to adopt a drug screening and testing program as part of the requirements for the receipt of benefits by certain individuals. According to provisions of this bill, an individual would not be disqualified from receiving benefits if the individual is participating in a drug treatment program, or if the failure to pass the test was caused by the use of a prescribed substance. An individual who fails a drug test administered under the bill's provisions would not be eligible to receive benefits until the individual passed a subsequent drug test administered by or on behalf of TWC. TWC would be required to develop procedures for appeal and for the retaking of failed drug tests.
Based on information provided by TWC, it is assumed that duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be accomplished by utilizing existing resources.
| Source Agencies: | 320 Texas Workforce Commission, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
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| LBB Staff: | UP, NV, RB, MW
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