Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1308 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R610 RDS-D
2	2	By: Tepper H.B. No. 1308
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6	6
7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to employment practices of governmental entities, state
10	10	contractors, and private employers in this state regarding the
11	11	legal status of employees, including requiring participation in the
12	12	federal electronic verification of employment authorization
13	13	program, or E-verify program, and authorizing the suspension of
14	14	certain licenses held by private employers for certain conduct in
15	15	relation to the employment of persons not lawfully present.
16	16	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
17	17	SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 2264, Government Code, is
18	18	amended to read as follows:
19	19	CHAPTER 2264. CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON [USE OF CERTAIN] PUBLIC
20	20	SUBSIDIES AND STATE CONTRACTS
21	21	SECTION 2. Section 2264.101, Government Code, is
22	22	transferred to Subchapter B, Chapter 2264, Government Code,
23	23	redesignated as Section 2264.054, Government Code, and amended to
24	24	read as follows:
25	25	Sec. 2264.054 [2264.101]. RECOVERY. (a) A public agency,
26	26	local taxing jurisdiction, or economic development corporation, or
27	27	the attorney general on behalf of the state or a state agency, may
28	28	bring a civil action to recover any amounts owed to the public
29	29	agency, state or local taxing jurisdiction, or economic development
30	30	corporation under this subchapter [chapter].
31	31	(b) The public agency, local taxing jurisdiction, economic
32	32	development corporation, or attorney general, as applicable, shall
33	33	recover court costs and reasonable attorney's fees incurred in an
34	34	action brought under Subsection (a).
35	35	(c) A business is not liable for a violation of this
36	36	subchapter [chapter] by a subsidiary, affiliate, or franchisee of
37	37	the business, or by a person with whom the business contracts.
38	38	SECTION 3. The heading to Subchapter C, Chapter 2264,
39	39	Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
40	40	SUBCHAPTER C. E-VERIFY PROGRAM [ENFORCEMENT]
41	41	SECTION 4. Subchapter C, Chapter 2264, Government Code, is
42	42	amended by adding Sections 2264.1011, 2264.102, and 2264.103 to
43	43	read as follows:
44	44	Sec. 2264.1011. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
45	45	(1) "E-verify program" has the meaning assigned by
46	46	Section 673.001.
47	47	(2) "State agency" has the meaning assigned by Section
48	48	2103.001.
49	49	Sec. 2264.102. VERIFICATION BY CONTRACTORS. (a) Except as
50	50	provided by Subsection (b), a state agency may not award a contract
51	51	for goods or services within this state to a contractor unless the
52	52	contractor and any subcontractor register with and participate in
53	53	the E-verify program to verify employee information. The
54	54	contractor and any subcontractor must continue to participate in
55	55	the program during the term of the contract.
56	56	(b) This section does not apply to a contract for goods or
57	57	services:
58	58	(1) a state agency determines is necessary to the
59	59	operation of the agency; and
60	60	(2) for which the agency can find no reasonable
61	61	alternative to a bid submitted by a contractor that does not
62	62	participate in the E-verify program or require its subcontractors
63	63	to participate in the E-verify program.
64	64	(c) Each contract with a state agency must include the
65	65	following statement:
66	66	"The contractor certifies that the contractor is not
67	67	ineligible to receive this contract under Subchapter C, Chapter
68	68	2264, Government Code, and acknowledges that if this certification
69	69	is inaccurate or becomes inaccurate during the term of the
70	70	contract, the contractor may be barred from participating in state
71	71	contracts."
72	72	(d) If a state agency determines that a contractor was
73	73	ineligible to have the contract awarded under Subsection (a), that
74	74	a contractor has ceased participation in the E-verify program
75	75	during the term of the contract, or that a subcontractor is not
76	76	registered with or is not participating in the E-verify program,
77	77	the state agency shall refer the matter to the comptroller for
78	78	action.
79	79	(e) Each state agency shall develop procedures for the
80	80	administration of this section.
81	81	Sec. 2264.103. BARRING FROM STATE CONTRACTS. (a) Using
82	82	procedures prescribed under Section 2155.077, the comptroller may
83	83	bar a contractor from participating in state contracts if the
84	84	comptroller determines that the contractor was awarded a contract
85	85	in violation of Section 2264.102 or, in violation of Section
86	86	2264.102:
87	87	(1) has ceased participation in the E-verify program
88	88	during the term of the contract; or
89	89	(2) knowingly hired a subcontractor, other than a
90	90	subcontractor who acts exclusively as a supplier for the contract,
91	91	to perform work under the contract who is not registered with or is
92	92	not participating in the E-verify program.
93	93	(b) Debarment under this section is for a period of one year
94	94	except that the debarment may be extended by the comptroller for
95	95	additional one-year periods if the comptroller determines that the
96	96	grounds for debarment under this section continue to exist.
97	97	(c) It is an affirmative defense to a debarment proceeding
98	98	under this section that the contractor did not know that a
99	99	subcontractor hired to perform work under the contract is not
100	100	registered with or is not participating in the E-verify program.
101	101	SECTION 5. Subtitle A, Title 6, Government Code, is amended
102	102	by adding Chapter 621 to read as follows:
103	103	CHAPTER 621. VERIFICATION OF EMPLOYEE INFORMATION; EMPLOYMENT OF
104	104	PERSONS NOT LAWFULLY PRESENT
105	105	SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
106	106	Sec. 621.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
107	107	(1) "E-verify program" has the meaning assigned by
108	108	Section 673.001.
109	109	(2) "Governmental entity" has the meaning assigned by
110	110	Section 620.001, except that the term includes a school district or
111	111	open-enrollment charter school.
112	112	(3) "Person not lawfully present" means a person who,
113	113	at the time of employment, is not:
114	114	(A) a citizen or national of the United States;
115	115	or
116	116	(B) an alien who is lawfully admitted for
117	117	permanent residence in the United States under the federal
118	118	Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. Section 1101 et seq.) or
119	119	authorized to be employed by that Act or by the United States
120	120	attorney general.
121	121	SUBCHAPTER B. VERIFICATION OF EMPLOYEE INFORMATION
122	122	Sec. 621.051. E-VERIFY PROGRAM. (a) A governmental entity
123	123	shall register and participate in the E-verify program to verify
124	124	information of all new employees.
125	125	(b) This section may not be construed as limiting a
126	126	requirement imposed on a state agency under Chapter 673.
127	127	SUBCHAPTER C. EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONS NOT LAWFULLY PRESENT
128	128	Sec. 621.101. PROHIBITED EMPLOYMENT. A governmental entity
129	129	may not knowingly hire, employ, recruit, or refer for a fee a person
130	130	not lawfully present.
131	131	SUBCHAPTER D. ENFORCEMENT
132	132	Sec. 621.151. REPORTING VIOLATION. (a) A person who has a
133	133	reasonable belief that a governmental entity violated this chapter
134	134	may report the allegation to the attorney general.
135	135	(b) The person alleging a violation under Subsection (a)
136	136	must, to the extent known by the person, provide to the attorney
137	137	general:
138	138	(1) the name, address, and telephone number of the
139	139	person filing the report;
140	140	(2) the name and address of the governmental entity;
141	141	(3) if applicable, the name of the person alleged to be
142	142	a person not lawfully present who has performed or will perform work
143	143	for the governmental entity;
144	144	(4) the information that caused the person to make the
145	145	report and the source of the information; and
146	146	(5) any other information relevant to the allegation.
147	147	Sec. 621.152. INVESTIGATION. (a) On receipt of a report
148	148	made under Section 621.151, the attorney general shall determine
149	149	whether reasonable cause exists to merit an investigation of the
150	150	allegation. If the attorney general determines reasonable cause
151	151	exists, the attorney general shall conduct an investigation.
152	152	(b) A governmental entity must comply with reasonable
153	153	requests for documents or other information made by the attorney
154	154	general during an investigation conducted under this section,
155	155	including a request for:
156	156	(1) documents related to the legal status of an
157	157	employee;
158	158	(2) if applicable, evidence related to the entity's
159	159	affirmative defense under Section 621.153;
160	160	(3) documents related to the entity's finances and
161	161	operations; or
162	162	(4) other documents or information the attorney
163	163	general determines necessary for conducting the investigation.
164	164	(c) The attorney general may request the assistance of the
165	165	Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement entities to
166	166	ensure compliance with this section.
167	167	(d) In conducting an investigation under this section, the
168	168	attorney general may not interview a minor or collect information
169	169	related to a minor without first obtaining consent from the minor's
170	170	parent or legal guardian.
171	171	(e) Information the attorney general obtains during an
172	172	investigation under this section is confidential and excepted from
173	173	disclosure under Chapter 552 but may be used in an administrative
174	174	proceeding under this chapter at the attorney general's discretion.
175	175	Sec. 621.153. AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE. It is an affirmative
176	176	defense to a proceeding under this subchapter in relation to an
177	177	alleged violation of Subchapter C that the governmental entity
178	178	complied in good faith with the document review requirements
179	179	described by the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
180	180	(8 U.S.C. Section 1324a(b)).
181	181	Sec. 621.154. DETERMINATION BY ATTORNEY GENERAL;
182	182	OPPORTUNITY TO CURE. (a) If the attorney general determines under
183	183	Section 621.152 that a governmental entity violated this chapter,
184	184	the attorney general shall provide written notice of the
185	185	determination to the entity. The notice must explain the
186	186	governmental entity's options for taking corrective action to cure
187	187	the violation, which must include:
188	188	(1) for a violation under Section 621.051, submitting
189	189	to the attorney general evidence that the entity has registered and
190	190	is participating in the E-verify program to verify information of
191	191	all new employees; or
192	192	(2) for a violation under Section 621.101, submitting
193	193	to the attorney general, as applicable:
194	194	(A) evidence that the person not lawfully present
195	195	is no longer employed by or working for the entity; or
196	196	(B) a sworn statement attesting that the entity
197	197	has ceased and will continue to cease recruiting or referring for a
198	198	fee persons not lawfully present.
199	199	(b) On receipt of notice from the attorney general under
200	200	Subsection (a), the governmental entity shall take appropriate
201	201	corrective action to cure the violation. Not later than the 10th
202	202	business day after the date the governmental entity receives the
203	203	notice, the entity must notify the attorney general of the
204	204	corrective action taken by the entity to cure the violation.
205	205	(c) If the attorney general determines that the
206	206	governmental entity has taken appropriate corrective action under
207	207	Subsection (b), the attorney general shall close the investigation
208	208	and promptly notify the entity accordingly.
209	209	Sec. 621.155. STATE GRANT FUNDING ELIGIBILITY. (a) A
210	210	governmental entity is ineligible to receive grant funding from
211	211	this state if:
212	212	(1) the entity fails to reply to the attorney general's
213	213	notice under Section 621.154; or
214	214	(2) the attorney general determines that the
215	215	corrective action taken by the entity under that section did not
216	216	cure the entity's violation.
217	217	(b) The attorney general shall provide to a governmental
218	218	entity described by Subsection (a) written notice, as applicable,
219	219	that:
220	220	(1) the entity:
221	221	(A) is in violation of this chapter;
222	222	(B) is ineligible to receive grant funding from
223	223	this state; and
224	224	(C) may take appropriate corrective action to
225	225	cure the violation and become eligible to receive state grant
226	226	funding; or
227	227	(2) the entity:
228	228	(A) has failed to reply to the attorney general's
229	229	notice under Section 621.154;
230	230	(B) is ineligible to receive grant funding from
231	231	the state; and
232	232	(C) may reply to the notice and become eligible
233	233	to receive state grant funding.
234	234	Sec. 621.156. COMPTROLLER RECORDS. (a) The comptroller
235	235	shall maintain a list of governmental entities identified by the
236	236	attorney general under Subsection (b) for purposes of ensuring that
237	237	an entity included in the list does not receive grant funding from
238	238	this state.
239	239	(b) At the time the attorney general sends notice to a
240	240	governmental entity under Section 621.155(b), the attorney general
241	241	shall provide to the comptroller the identity of the entity for
242	242	inclusion in the list the comptroller maintains under Subsection
243	243	(a).
244	244	(c) Information provided to the comptroller by the attorney
245	245	general under this section is confidential and excepted from
246	246	disclosure under Chapter 552.
247	247	Sec. 621.157. REINSTATEMENT OF GRANT ELIGIBILITY. (a) A
248	248	governmental entity may request that the attorney general reinstate
249	249	the entity's eligibility to receive grant funding from this state
250	250	by notifying the attorney general, as appropriate, of:
251	251	(1) corrective action taken by the entity to cure the
252	252	violation; or
253	253	(2) the entity's reply to the attorney general's
254	254	notice under Section 621.154.
255	255	(b) If the attorney general determines that the corrective
256	256	action taken by the governmental entity cured the violation or that
257	257	the entity's reply is responsive to the notice, as appropriate, the
258	258	entity becomes eligible to receive grant funding from this state.
259	259	(c) At the time the attorney general makes a determination
260	260	under Subsection (b), the attorney general shall instruct the
261	261	comptroller to remove the governmental entity from the list the
262	262	comptroller maintains under Section 621.156, and the comptroller
263	263	shall remove the entity from the list.
264	264	SECTION 6. Subtitle B, Title 2, Labor Code, is amended by
265	265	adding Chapter 53 to read as follows:
266	266	CHAPTER 53. VERIFICATION OF EMPLOYEE INFORMATION; EMPLOYMENT OF
267	267	PERSONS NOT LAWFULLY PRESENT
268	268	SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
269	269	Sec. 53.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
270	270	(1) "Employee" means an individual who is employed by
271	271	an employer for compensation. The term includes an individual
272	272	employed on a part-time basis.
273	273	(2) "Employer" means a person, other than a
274	274	governmental entity, who:
275	275	(A) employs at least 25 employees; or
276	276	(B) acts directly or indirectly in the interests
277	277	of an employer in relation to an employee.
278	278	(3) "E-verify program" has the meaning assigned by
279	279	Section 673.001, Government Code.
280	280	(4) "License" means a license, certificate,
281	281	registration, permit, or other authorization that:
282	282	(A) is issued by a licensing authority;
283	283	(B) is subject before expiration to renewal,
284	284	suspension, revocation, forfeiture, or termination by a licensing
285	285	authority; and
286	286	(C) is required for a person to practice or
287	287	engage in a particular business, occupation, or profession.
288	288	(5) "Licensing authority" means a department,
289	289	commission, board, office, or other agency of this state that
290	290	issues or renews a license.
291	291	(6) "Person not lawfully present" means a person who,
292	292	at the time of employment, is not:
293	293	(A) a citizen or national of the United States;
294	294	or
295	295	(B) an alien who is lawfully admitted for
296	296	permanent residence in the United States under the federal
297	297	Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. Section 1101 et seq.) or
298	298	authorized to be employed by that Act or by the United States
299	299	attorney general.
300	300	Sec. 53.002. EMPLOYEE STATUS. An employer may not classify
301	301	an individual performing services for the employer as an
302	302	independent contractor instead of as an employee of the employer
303	303	solely for the purpose of avoiding the requirements applicable to
304	304	an employer under this chapter.
305	305	SUBCHAPTER B. VERIFICATION OF EMPLOYEE INFORMATION
306	306	Sec. 53.051. VERIFICATION. An employer shall register and
307	307	participate in the E-verify program to verify information of all
308	308	new employees.
309	309	SUBCHAPTER C. EMPLOYMENT OF PERSONS NOT LAWFULLY PRESENT
310	310	Sec. 53.101. PROHIBITED EMPLOYMENT. An employer may not
311	311	knowingly hire, employ, recruit, or refer for a fee an individual
312	312	who is a person not lawfully present.
313	313	SUBCHAPTER D. ENFORCEMENT
314	314	Sec. 53.151. REPORTING VIOLATION. (a) A person who has a
315	315	reasonable belief that an employer violated this chapter may report
316	316	the allegation to the attorney general.
317	317	(b) The person alleging a violation under Subsection (a)
318	318	must, to the extent known by the person, provide to the attorney
319	319	general:
320	320	(1) the name, address, and telephone number of the
321	321	person filing the report;
322	322	(2) the name and address of the employer;
323	323	(3) if applicable, the name of the person not lawfully
324	324	present who has performed or will perform work for the employer;
325	325	(4) the information that caused the person to make the
326	326	report and the source of the information; and
327	327	(5) any other information relevant to the allegation.
328	328	Sec. 53.152. INVESTIGATION BY ATTORNEY GENERAL. (a) On
329	329	receipt of a report made under Section 53.151, the attorney general
330	330	shall determine whether reasonable cause exists to merit an
331	331	investigation of the allegation. If the attorney general
332	332	determines reasonable cause exists, the attorney general shall
333	333	conduct an investigation.
334	334	(b) An employer must comply with reasonable requests for
335	335	documents or other information made by the attorney general during
336	336	an investigation, including a request for:
337	337	(1) documents related to the legal status of an
338	338	employee;
339	339	(2) if applicable, evidence related to an employer's
340	340	affirmative defense under Section 53.153;
341	341	(3) documents related to the employer's finances and
342	342	operations;
343	343	(4) a list of all licenses held by the employer; and
344	344	(5) other documents or information the attorney
345	345	general determines necessary for conducting the investigation.
346	346	(c) The attorney general may request the assistance of the
347	347	Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement entities to
348	348	ensure compliance with this section.
349	349	(d) In conducting an investigation under this section, the
350	350	attorney general may not:
351	351	(1) interview a minor or collect information related
352	352	to a minor without first obtaining consent from the minor's parent
353	353	or legal guardian; or
354	354	(2) visit the employer's premises at an unreasonable
355	355	time without obtaining the employer's consent.
356	356	(e) Information obtained during an investigation under this
357	357	section is confidential and excepted from disclosure under Chapter
358	358	552, but may be used in an administrative proceeding under this
359	359	chapter at the attorney general's discretion.
360	360	Sec. 53.153. AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE. It is an affirmative
361	361	defense to a proceeding under this subchapter in relation to an
362	362	alleged violation of Subchapter C that the employer complied in
363	363	good faith with the document review requirements described by the
364	364	federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (8 U.S.C.
365	365	Section 1324a(b)).
366	366	Sec. 53.154. INITIAL DETERMINATION BY ATTORNEY GENERAL;
367	367	OPPORTUNITY TO CURE. (a) If the attorney general determines under
368	368	Section 53.152 that the employer violated this chapter, the
369	369	attorney general shall provide written notice of the determination
370	370	to the employer. The notice must:
371	371	(1) explain the employer's options for taking
372	372	corrective action to cure the violation, which must include:
373	373	(A) for a violation under Section 53.002,
374	374	submitting to the attorney general evidence that the employer is
375	375	properly classifying individuals performing services for the
376	376	employer, together with a sworn statement attesting that the
377	377	employer will continue to do so;
378	378	(B) for a violation under Section 53.051,
379	379	submitting to the attorney general evidence that the employer has
380	380	registered and is participating in the E-verify program to verify
381	381	information of all new employees; or
382	382	(C) for a violation under Section 53.101,
383	383	submitting to the attorney general, as applicable:
384	384	(i) evidence that the person not lawfully
385	385	present is no longer employed by or working for the employer; or
386	386	(ii) a sworn statement attesting that the
387	387	employer has ceased and will continue to cease recruiting or
388	388	referring for a fee persons not lawfully present; and
389	389	(2) inform the employer that each license held by the
390	390	employer is subject to suspension if the employer does not take
391	391	appropriate corrective action and notify the attorney general of
392	392	that action in the time prescribed by Subsection (b).
393	393	(b) On receipt of notice from the attorney general under
394	394	Subsection (a), the employer shall take appropriate corrective
395	395	action to cure the violation. Not later than the 10th business day
396	396	after the date the employer receives the notice, the employer must
397	397	notify the attorney general of the corrective action taken by the
398	398	employer to cure the violation.
399	399	Sec. 53.155. FINAL DETERMINATION BY ATTORNEY GENERAL;
400	400	LICENSE SUSPENSION FOR FAILURE TO CURE; RIGHT TO JUDICIAL REVIEW.
401	401	(a) If the attorney general determines that an employer has taken
402	402	appropriate corrective action under Section 53.154(b), the
403	403	attorney general shall close the investigation and promptly notify
404	404	the employer accordingly.
405	405	(b) If the attorney general determines that an employer
406	406	failed to reply to the attorney general's notice under Section
407	407	53.154(b) or that the corrective action taken by the employer under
408	408	that subsection did not cure the employer's violation, the attorney
409	409	general shall promptly provide written notice to the employer that:
410	410	(1) the employer has been finally determined by the
411	411	attorney general to have violated this chapter; and
412	412	(2) each license issued to the employer by a licensing
413	413	authority will be suspended for a period of two years, subject to
414	414	judicial review of the attorney general's determination as a
415	415	contested case under Chapter 2001, Government Code.
416	416	(c) Not later than the 30th day after the date an employer
417	417	receives notice under Subsection (b), an employer may seek judicial
418	418	review as provided by Chapter 2001, Government Code, of the
419	419	attorney general's determination.
420	420	Sec. 53.156. ORDER FOR LICENSE SUSPENSION. If an employer
421	421	finally determined by the attorney general to have violated this
422	422	chapter does not seek judicial review of the attorney general's
423	423	determination in the time prescribed by Section 53.155 or does not
424	424	prevail on judicial review, the attorney general shall promptly:
425	425	(1) render a final order suspending each license held
426	426	by the employer for a period of two years; and
427	427	(2) send a copy of the order to:
428	428	(A) the employer; and
429	429	(B) each licensing authority that issued a
430	430	license held by the employer.
431	431	Sec. 53.157. ACTION BY LICENSING AUTHORITY. (a) On receipt
432	432	from the attorney general of a final order under this chapter
433	433	suspending an employer's license, a licensing authority shall
434	434	immediately determine if the authority has issued a license to the
435	435	person named on the order and, if a license has been issued:
436	436	(1) record the suspension of the license in the
437	437	licensing authority's records;
438	438	(2) report the suspension as appropriate;
439	439	(3) provide written notice of the suspension to the
440	440	person; and
441	441	(4) demand surrender of the suspended license if
442	442	required by law for other cases in which a license is suspended.
443	443	(b) A licensing authority shall implement the terms of a
444	444	final order suspending a license without additional review or
445	445	hearing. The authority may provide notice as appropriate to the
446	446	license holder or to others concerned with the license.
447	447	(c) A licensing authority may not modify, remand, reverse,
448	448	vacate, or stay an order suspending a license issued under this
449	449	chapter and may not review, vacate, or reconsider the terms of a
450	450	final order suspending a license.
451	451	(d) A person who is the subject of a final order suspending a
452	452	license is not entitled to a refund for any fee or other amount paid
453	453	to the licensing authority.
454	454	(e) A person who continues to engage in the business,
455	455	occupation, profession, or other licensed activity after the
456	456	implementation of the order suspending a license by the licensing
457	457	authority is liable for the same civil, administrative, and
458	458	criminal penalties provided for engaging in the licensed activity
459	459	without a license or while a license is suspended that apply to any
460	460	other license holder of that licensing authority.
461	461	(f) A licensing authority is exempt from liability to a
462	462	license holder for any act authorized under this chapter performed
463	463	by the authority.
464	464	(g) Except as provided by this chapter, an order suspending
465	465	a license does not affect the power of a licensing authority to
466	466	grant, deny, suspend, revoke, terminate, or renew a license.
467	467	Sec. 53.158. ENFORCEMENT BY STATE AGENCIES; RULES. (a)
468	468	Notwithstanding any other law and in addition to any duty relating
469	469	to the enforcement of this chapter that is assigned to another
470	470	governmental entity by this subchapter, each appropriate state
471	471	agency shall ensure that employers in this state comply with this
472	472	chapter and may require compliance with this chapter as a condition
473	473	of a license.
474	474	(b) Each appropriate state agency shall adopt rules and
475	475	prescribe forms as necessary to implement this section.
476	476	SECTION 7. Subchapter A, Chapter 204, Labor Code, is
477	477	amended by adding Section 204.0021 to read as follows:
478	478	Sec. 204.0021. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT FOR WAGE REPORTING.
479	479	Any verification form or electronic process used by the commission
480	480	for an employer to report wages paid by the employer for purposes of
481	481	this subtitle must require the employer to certify the employer's
482	482	compliance with Chapter 53.
483	483	SECTION 8. Each state agency subject to Subchapter C,
484	484	Chapter 2264, Government Code, as amended by this Act, shall
485	485	develop the procedures required under Section 2264.102(e),
486	486	Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than December 31,
487	487	2025.
488	488	SECTION 9. Sections 2264.1011, 2264.102, and 2264.103,
489	489	Government Code, as added by this Act, apply only in relation to a
490	490	contract for which the request for bids or proposals or other
491	491	applicable expression of interest is made public on or after the
492	492	effective date of this Act.
493	493	SECTION 10. As soon as practicable after the effective date
494	494	of this Act, each appropriate state agency subject to Section
495	495	53.158, Labor Code, as added by this Act, shall adopt rules and
496	496	prescribe forms as required by that section.
497	497	SECTION 11. Section 204.0021, Labor Code, Subchapter C,
498	498	Chapter 53, Labor Code, and Chapter 621, Government Code, as added
499	499	by this Act, apply beginning January 1, 2027.
500	500	SECTION 12. It is the intent of the legislature that every
501	501	provision in this Act, and every application of the provisions in
502	502	this Act to every person, group of persons, or circumstances, is
503	503	severable from each other. If any application of any provision in
504	504	this Act to any person, group of persons, or circumstances is found
505	505	by a court to be invalid for any reason, the remaining applications
506	506	of that provision to all other persons and circumstances shall be
507	507	severed and may not be affected.
508	508	SECTION 13. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.