BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1657

By: Vo

Economic & Small Business Development

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that current law is in error regarding an unemployment insurance tax rate computation date as the date relates to the unemployment compensation fund and the use of the fund by the Texas Workforce Commission to pay outstanding bond obligations or to provide a surplus credit for experience-rated employers. These parties assert that this error may have placed an unnecessary burden on employers and may not reflect the intent of the law. H.B. 1657 seeks to address this issue.

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

H.B. 1657 amends the Labor Code to remove a provision making an experience-rated employer ineligible to receive a surplus credit rate under the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act if any delinquent contributions are due on the contribution date and instead to make the employer ineligible to receive such a surplus credit rate if any delinquent contributions are due on the computation date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.