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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the designation, authority, and funding of the small |
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business ombudsman program of the Texas Workforce Commission. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sec. 301.009, Labor Code, is amended to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) The commission shall have: |
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(1) a division of workforce development; |
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(2) a division of unemployment compensation; and |
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(3) a civil rights division.; and |
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(4) a small business ombudsman program. |
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(b) In addition to the divisions and program listed in |
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Subsection (a), the executive director may establish additional |
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divisions within the commission for effective administration and |
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performance of commission functions. |
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(c) The executive director shall appoint the directors of |
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the divisions of the commission. The directors serve at the |
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pleasure of the executive director. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 301, Labor Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter L to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER L. SMALL BUSINESS OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM |
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Sec. 301.2001. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Director" means the director of the program. |
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(2) "Program" means the small business ombudsman |
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program of the commission. |
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Sec. 301.2005. GOVERNANCE; AUTHORITY. (a) The commission |
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shall establish policies for the program and the executive director |
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shall supervise the director in administering the activities of the |
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program. |
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(b) The commission is authorized, with respect to assisting |
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small businesses during a period of economic disaster or downturn, |
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to provide to small businesses with resources for legal, |
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accounting, and other needed services. Any assistance to small |
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businesses provided under this subchapter shall be strictly |
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confidential with respect to any resources or services provided by |
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the commission to a small business, and with respect to all |
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identity, contact, correspondence, or other information shared |
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between a small business and the commission for purposes of this |
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subchapter. |
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(c) Small business assistance described in Subsection (b) |
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includes assistance with, but is not limited to: |
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(1) securing state or federal funds of any kind; |
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(2) business taxes and accounting; |
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(3) refinancing; |
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(4) bankruptcy procedure; |
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(5) restructuring; |
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(6) debt protection and forgiveness; |
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(7) technical and financial opportunities; |
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(8) state agency and regulatory applicability; and |
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(9) other assistance to small businesses. |
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(d) To achieve the purpose of Subsection (b) and (c), the |
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commission shall, contingent on program funding, provide resources |
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to staff the program with a minimum of two qualified individuals; |
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such staffing shall not include more than one attorney and one |
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certified public accountant. |
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(e) A qualified individual described in Subsection (d) is a |
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person who is licensed in the State of Texas to provide legal or |
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accounting services as described in Subsection (b) and (c). |
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Sec. 301.2010. SMALL BUSINESS ECONOMIC OMBUDSMAN FUND. (a) |
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To achieve the purposes of this subchapter, the small business |
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ombudsman fund is created. The fund is composed of: |
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(1) any amounts appropriated by the legislature for |
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the purpose of this subchapter; or |
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(2) any amounts allocated by the legislature for the |
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purpose of this subchapter from any other resources. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |