Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1421 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	By: Lucio, Van de PutteEllis S.B. No. 1421
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to the adoption of modernizations to unemployment
7	7	compensation benefit eligibility.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 201, Labor Code, is
10	10	amended by adding Section 201.011(1)(c) to read as follows:
11	11	(c) For an individual who does not have sufficient benefit
12	12	wage credits to qualify for benefits under the computation of the
13	13	base period as provided by Subsection (a) or (b), the base period is
14	14	the four most recently completed calendar quarters preceding the
15	15	first day of the individual's benefit year.
16	16	SECTION 2. Section 207.021, Labor Code, is amended by
17	17	adding Subsection (d) and (e) to read as follows:
18	18	(d) "Part-time work" means work having comparable hours to
19	19	the individual's work in the individual's base period, except that
20	20	an individual must be available for at least 20 hours of work per
21	21	week and available for hours that are comparable to the
22	22	individual's work at the time of the individual's most recent
23	23	separation from employment.
24	24	(e) An individual is available for work for purposes of
25	25	Subsection (a)(4) if the individual is seeking only part-time work,
26	26	unless the majority of the weeks worked by the individual during the
27	27	individual's base period do not include part-time work.
28	28	SECTION 3. Chapter 209, Labor Code, is amended by adding
29	29	Subchapter F to read as follows:
30	30	SUBCHAPTER F. EXTENDED BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS ENROLLED
31	31	IN CERTAIN TRAINING PROGRAMS
32	32	Sec. 209.101. ELIGIBILITY FOR EXTENDED BENEFITS.
33	33	Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, an individual
34	34	is entitled to extended benefits as provided by this subchapter if
35	35	the individual:
36	36	(1) is unemployed;
37	37	(2) has exhausted all regular benefits; and
38	38	(3) is enrolled in, and making satisfactory progress
39	39	toward completion of, a commission-approved training program or a
40	40	job training program under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29
41	41	U.S.C. Section 2801 et seq.) designed to prepare individuals who
42	42	have been separated from a declining occupation or who have been
43	43	involuntarily and indefinitely separated from employment as a
44	44	result of a permanent reduction of operations at the individual's
45	45	place of employment for entry into a high-demand occupation.
46	46	Sec. 209.102. DURATION AND AMOUNT OF EXTENDED BENEFITS.
47	47	(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, an
48	48	eligible individual under Section 209.101 is entitled to receive
49	49	extended benefits under this subchapter until the earlier of:
50	50	(1) the date the individual completes the training
51	51	program; or
52	52	(2) the expiration of 26 additional benefit periods.
53	53	(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter,
54	54	the weekly amount of extended benefits payable to an eligible
55	55	individual under Section 209.101 is an amount equal to the
56	56	individual's average weekly benefit amount for the most recent
57	57	benefit year.
58	58	SECTION 4. This Act applies only to eligibility for
59	59	unemployment compensation benefits based on a claim that is filed
60	60	with the Texas Workforce Commission on or after the effective date
61	61	of this Act. A claim filed before the effective date of this Act is
62	62	governed by the law in effect on the date the claim was filed, and
63	63	the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
64	64	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect on September 1, 2009.