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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to participation in reemployment services as a condition |
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of eligibility for unemployment benefits. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 207.021(a), Labor Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Chapter 215, an unemployed |
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individual is eligible to receive benefits for a benefit period if |
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the individual: |
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(1) has registered for work at an employment office |
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and has continued to report to the employment office as required by |
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rules adopted by the commission; |
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(2) has made a claim for benefits under Section |
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208.001; |
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(3) is able to work; |
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(4) is available for work; |
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(5) is actively seeking work in accordance with rules |
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adopted by the commission; |
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(6) for the individual's base period, has benefit wage |
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credits: |
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(A) in at least two calendar quarters; and |
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(B) in an amount not less than 37 times the |
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individual's benefit amount; |
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(7) after the beginning date of the individual's most |
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recent prior benefit year, if applicable, earned wages in an amount |
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equal to not less than six times the individual's benefit amount; |
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(8) has been totally or partially unemployed for a |
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waiting period of at least seven consecutive days; and |
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(9) participates in reemployment services, such as a |
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job search assistance service, as required by commission rule [if |
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the individual has been determined, according to a profiling system |
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established by the commission, to be likely to exhaust eligibility |
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for regular benefits and to need those services to obtain new |
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employment], unless[: |
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[(A) the individual has completed participation |
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in such a service; or |
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[(B)] there is reasonable cause, as determined by |
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the commission, for the individual's failure to participate in |
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those services. |
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SECTION 2. Section 207.021(a), Labor Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies only to a claim for unemployment compensation |
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benefits that is filed with the Texas Workforce Commission on or |
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after the effective date of this Act. A claim filed before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
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date the claim was filed, and the former law is continued in effect |
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for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Texas Workforce Commission shall adopt rules to |
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implement Section 207.021(a), Labor Code, as amended by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |