BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 931

By: Murphy

Economic & Small Business Development

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that certain aspects of current law could incentivize unemployment benefit overpayments by the Texas Workforce Commission. The parties further contend that claimants should be encouraged to establish effective work search habits early in the claimant's period of unemployment. C.S.H.B. 931 seeks to address these issues.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

C.S.H.B. 931 amends the Labor Code to remove a provision making an individual who has been paid unemployment benefits in the individual's current benefit year equal to or exceeding three times the individual's benefit amount eligible to receive benefits on the individual's waiting period claim in accordance with the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act. The bill instead makes an individual eligible to receive benefits on that claim if the individual has been paid benefits in the individual's current benefit year equal to or exceeding two times the individual's benefit amount and has returned to full-time employment after being totally or partially unemployed for at least seven consecutive days or has exhausted the individual's regular benefits for the current benefit year, other than benefits applicable to the waiting period.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2015.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 931 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

INTRODUCED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1.  Section 207.021(c), Labor Code, is amended to read as follows: (c)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an individual is eligible to receive benefits on the individual's waiting period claim in accordance with this subtitle if the individual: (1)  [who] has been totally or partially unemployed for at least seven consecutive days and has returned to full-time employment; or (2)  has exhausted the individual's regular benefits for the current benefit year, other than benefits applicable to the waiting period [paid benefits in the individual's current benefit year equal to or exceeding three times the individual's benefit amount is eligible to receive benefits on the individual's waiting period claim in accordance with this subtitle].	SECTION 1.  Section 207.021(c), Labor Code, is amended to read as follows: (c)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an individual is eligible to receive benefits on the individual's waiting period claim in accordance with this subtitle if the individual [who] has been paid benefits in the individual's current benefit year equal to or exceeding two [three] times the individual's benefit amount and: (1)   has returned to full-time employment after being totally or partially unemployed for at least seven consecutive days; or (2)  has exhausted the individual's regular benefits for the current benefit year, other than benefits applicable to the waiting period [is eligible to receive benefits on the individual's waiting period claim in accordance with this subtitle].
SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only to a claim for unemployment compensation benefits filed with the Texas Workforce Commission on or after the effective date of this Act.  A claim filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the claim was filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.	SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.	SECTION 3. Same as introduced version.