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BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.H.B. 3256

By: Farias

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Interested parties note that veterans often face great difficulties in adjusting to civilian life after returning from deployment. Reports frequently show that the unemployment rate for young veterans is higher than the national average and particularly high among female veterans. These parties assert that a lack of understanding in the way that military skills and experience translate to skills and experience in civilian life greatly contributes to veterans' unemployment issues. C.S.H.B. 3256 seeks to foster a better understanding of the value of military experience and to help veterans in their transition to civilian life.

 

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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Workforce Commission in SECTION 1 of this bill.

 

ANALYSIS

 

C.S.H.B. 3256 amends the Labor Code to require the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), as soon practicable after the bill's effective date, to develop and maintain a web-based searchable database through which prospective employers may qualify a veteran's military service experience and employment qualifications related to specific skills. The bill requires the database to allow the conversion of a veteran's military service experience into the approximate equivalent civilian employment experience and skills that the veteran possesses by virtue of that service. The bill prohibits the database from collecting, retrieving, storing, or using any identifying information of a veteran. The bill authorizes the TWC to adopt rules to implement the bill's provisions.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

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

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

 

While C.S.H.B. 3256 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.  Chapter 302, Labor Code, is amended by adding Subchapter H to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER H.  VETERAN EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE DATABASE

Sec. 302.201.  DEFINITION.  In this subchapter, "veteran" has the meaning assigned by 38 U.S.C. Section 101(2).

Sec. 302.202.  DATABASE.  (a) The commission shall develop and maintain a web-based searchable database through which prospective employers may verify a veteran's:

(1)  military service experience; and

(2)  employment qualifications related to specific skills.

(b)  The database must allow the conversion of a veteran's military service experience into the approximate equivalent civilian employment experience and skills that the veteran possesses by virtue of that service.

 

 

 

 

 

Sec. 302.203.  RULES.  The commission may adopt rules to implement this subchapter.

SECTION 1.  Chapter 302, Labor Code, is amended by adding Subchapter H to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER H.  VETERAN EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE DATABASE

Sec. 302.201.  DEFINITION.  In this subchapter, "veteran" has the meaning assigned by 38 U.S.C. Section 101(2).

Sec. 302.202.  DATABASE.  (a)  The commission shall develop and maintain a web-based searchable database through which prospective employers may qualify a veteran's:

(1)  military service experience; and

(2)  employment qualifications related to specific skills.

(b)  The database must allow the conversion of a veteran's military service experience into the approximate equivalent civilian employment experience and skills that the veteran possesses by virtue of that service.

(c)  The database may not collect, retrieve, store, or use any identifying information of a veteran. In this subsection, "identifying information" has the meaning assigned by Section 32.51, Penal Code.

Sec. 302.203.  RULES.  The commission may adopt rules to implement this subchapter.

SECTION 2.  The Texas Workforce Commission shall develop and implement the veteran employment experience database as required by Subchapter H, Chapter 302, Labor Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.

 

 

SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015.

SECTION 3. Same as introduced version.