BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

S.B. 1516

By: Birdwell

Business & Industry

Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Concerns have been raised regarding the inability of the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to recover overpayments of unemployment compensation benefits caused by TWC error. It has been suggested that such overpayments can result in financial burden for reimbursing employers and can be unfair to other recipients of unemployment benefits. S.B. 1516 seeks to address this issue by making a person liable for the amount of an improper benefit obtained by the person because of TWC error.

 

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   

 

S.B. 1516 amends the Labor Code to make a person liable for the amount of an improper unemployment compensation benefit obtained by the person because of Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) error. If TWC fails to notify the person of such an improper benefit on or before the 120th day after the date the person obtains the benefit, the benefit is not considered an improper benefit or recoverable by TWC. 

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2019.