Bill Text: TX HB3735 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to cooperation with federal agencies on a guest worker program in this state.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-04-22 - Left pending in committee [HB3735 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB3735-Introduced.html
| 84R10242 JSC-D | ||
| By: Cook | H.B. No. 3735 | |
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| relating to cooperation with federal agencies on a guest worker | ||
| program in this state. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the "Texas Needs | ||
| Workers Act." | ||
| SECTION 2. Chapter 751, Government Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subchapter C to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER C. COOPERATION WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR GUEST WORKER | ||
| PROGRAM | ||
| Sec. 751.051. GUEST WORKER PROGRAM. (a) The office, in | ||
| consultation with the Texas Workforce Commission and with the | ||
| assistance of the attorney general, shall seek to enter into a | ||
| memorandum of understanding or other agreement with the appropriate | ||
| federal agency to authorize or grant a waiver for a guest worker | ||
| program to be implemented in order to bring skilled and unskilled | ||
| workers into this state during periods of time when no Texan workers | ||
| are available to fill open employment positions. The proposed | ||
| program would: | ||
| (1) be self-funding through individual and employer | ||
| participation; | ||
| (2) require applicants to: | ||
| (A) pass a criminal background check; | ||
| (B) register with the appropriate state and | ||
| federal agencies certifying the applicant's immigration status; | ||
| and | ||
| (C) submit proof of health insurance coverage | ||
| provided by the applicant's employer or purchased by the applicant; | ||
| (3) limit participation to employers that deduct and | ||
| match payroll taxes; and | ||
| (4) provide for a tamper-proof identification card for | ||
| program participants that would assist in monitoring any criminal | ||
| and civil court appearances. | ||
| (b) The identification card required by Subsection (a)(4) | ||
| must include the applicant's personal information, photograph, | ||
| fingerprint, and visa number and have an expiration date. | ||
| (c) Any guest worker program implemented by this state must | ||
| comply with any applicable federal guidelines by having a federal | ||
| waiver or other authorization for the program. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2015. | ||
