| 1 | 1 | | By: Ellis S.B. No. 111 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to suspension of the unemployment compensation waiting |
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| 7 | 7 | | period requirement during a disaster subject to a federal disaster |
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| 8 | 8 | | declaration. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 207, Labor Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 207.0212 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 207.0212. ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN PERSONS UNEMPLOYED |
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| 13 | 13 | | BECAUSE OF DISASTER. (a) In this section, "disaster unemployment |
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| 14 | 14 | | assistance benefits" means benefits authorized under Section 410, |
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| 15 | 15 | | Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 |
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| 16 | 16 | | U.S.C. Section 5177), and rules adopted under that section. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (b) Notwithstanding Section 207.021, the governor, by |
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| 18 | 18 | | executive order, may suspend the waiting period requirement imposed |
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| 19 | 19 | | under Section 207.021(a)(7) to authorize an individual to receive |
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| 20 | 20 | | benefits for that waiting period if the individual: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) is unemployed as a direct result of a natural |
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| 22 | 22 | | disaster that results in a disaster declaration by the president of |
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| 23 | 23 | | the United States under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and |
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| 24 | 24 | | Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. Section 5121 et seq.); |
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| 25 | 25 | | (2) is otherwise eligible for unemployment |
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| 26 | 26 | | compensation benefits under this subtitle; and |
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| 27 | 27 | | (3) is not receiving disaster unemployment assistance |
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| 28 | 28 | | benefits for the period included in that waiting period. |
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| 29 | 29 | | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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| 30 | 30 | | to a claim for unemployment compensation benefits that is filed |
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| 31 | 31 | | with the Texas Workforce Commission on or after the effective date |
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| 32 | 32 | | of this Act. A claim filed before that date is governed by the law |
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| 33 | 33 | | in effect on the date that the claim was filed, and the former law is |
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| 34 | 34 | | continued in effect for that purpose. |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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