Highlights of the 79th Texas Legislature - Senate

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Disqualification of Employees for Unemployment Compensation—H.B. 1745
By Representative Seaman—Senate Sponsor: Senator Carona
The Texas Unemployment Compensation Act (TUCA) sets out specific conditions that employees of temporary help
firms must satisfy in order to become eligible to receive unemployment benefits. These conditions include a
requirement that employees contact the temporary help firm for reassignment upon completion of an assignment.
However, the TUCA does not permit the temporary help firm a period of time in which to find new work for the
temporary employee. Consequently, temporary employees may file claims for unemployment benefits when a
temporary help firm does not instantly offer new work upon completion of assignment, even though work may
become available shortly thereafter. In the 2004 calendar year, 8,991 workers filed unemployment claims based on
separation from temporary help firms and there were no subsequent claims filed, which indicated that these
individuals returned to work shortly after filing their initial claims. This bill:
Amends the Labor Code to provide that an individual who last worked for a temporary help firm is not considered to
be unemployed until three business days have passed since the date the individual's last assignment ended.
Developing New Job Incentive Programs—H.B. 2421
By Representative Chavez et al.—Senate Sponsor: Senator Zaffirini
Under current law there is no workforce development program specifically aimed at creating employment
opportunities and increasing the job skills of the existing workforce in rural and medium-sized communities in Texas.
This bill:
Creates a new program to award grants for the creation and retention of jobs in rural and medium-sized communities.
The grant money will be competitively awarded to companies based on each application's anticipated economic
impact.
Encourages additional economic development by creating incentives to help finalize local economic development by
authorizing the Texas Workforce Commission, by rule, to establish and develop additional job incentive programs
that use the skills development fund to create incentives for public community and technical colleges in partnership
with one or more employers to provide workforce training in an effort to create and retain employment opportunities in
this state.
Provides that the skills development economic stabilization fund is established as a special trust fund outside of the
state treasury in the custody of the comptroller, separate and apart from all other public money or funds of this state.
State-Funded Job Training Programs Available to Veterans—H.B. 2604
By Representative Guillen—Senate Sponsor: Senator Van de Putte
Current state law provides for state-funded entities to give preference to veterans in hiring for open positions. Most
veterans have work experience, training, and discipline that proves valuable in other forms of state service. This bill:
Extends the same veteran preference to state programs as required by federal law. Federal law requires any
employment training program to prioritize veterans in providing training services, including the DVOP/LVER programs
(disabled veteran outreach program and local veterans employment representative).
Extends a veteran preference for entry into job training and employment assistance programs that are offered by
state agencies.
284 HIGHLIGHTS - 79 TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE