BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 74

By: Hinojosa

State Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been suggested that it would be beneficial to holders of student debt employed by certain public employers if the employers notified employees of their potential eligibility to participate in the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. It has been further pointed out that this could be beneficial to the state in terms of improving employee retention. H.B. 74 seeks to require such notice.

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. 74 amends the Government Code to require a public employer, defined by the bill as a political subdivision of the state, including a school district, or a state agency, including an institution of higher education, to provide written notice to an employee not later than the 30th day after the date on which the employee begins employment with the public employer of the ability of eligible employees of the employer to participate in the public service loan forgiveness program administered by the U.S. Department of Education. The bill authorizes the public employer to deliver the written notice by hand delivery, mail, email, or other form of electronic communication commonly used by the employer to communicate with employees. The bill requires a public employer to provide such notice to an employee employed by the employer on the bill's effective date not later than September 9, 2019.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.