| 1 | 1 | | 87R2711 JSC-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Thierry H.B. No. 1985 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to a temporary waiver of certain unemployment benefit |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | eligibility conditions during a public health disaster. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 207, Labor Code, is |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 207.0213 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 207.0213. TEMPORARY WAIVER OF CERTAIN ELIGIBILITY |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | CONDITIONS DURING PUBLIC HEALTH DISASTER. (a) In this section, |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | "public health disaster" has the meaning assigned by Section |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | 81.003, Health and Safety Code. |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | (b) Notwithstanding Section 207.021, during a statewide |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | public health disaster, the commission shall suspend the following |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | eligibility conditions to authorize an individual who is otherwise |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | eligible to receive benefits under this subtitle to receive those |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | benefits: |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | (1) the condition imposed under Section 207.021(a)(5) |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | that an individual be actively seeking work; and |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | (2) the condition imposed under Section 207.021(a)(8) |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | that an individual has been totally or partially unemployed for a |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | waiting period. |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (c) The period of a suspension imposed under Subsection (b) |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | begins on the date the public health disaster is declared. The |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | commission may reinstate the conditions described by Subsections |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | (b)(1) and (2) only after the public health disaster expires. |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
|---|