Bill Text: TX HB3927 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to a self-employment assistance program for unemployed individuals.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-21 - Referred to Business & Industry [HB3927 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB3927-Introduced.html
86R11024 SMT-D | ||
By: Neave | H.B. No. 3927 |
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relating to a self-employment assistance program for unemployed | ||
individuals. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 207.021(a), Labor Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(a) Except as provided by Chapters [ |
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unemployed individual is eligible to receive benefits for a benefit | ||
period if the individual: | ||
(1) has registered for work at an employment office | ||
and has continued to report to the employment office as required by | ||
rules adopted by the commission; | ||
(2) has made a claim for benefits under Section | ||
208.001; | ||
(3) is able to work; | ||
(4) is available for work; | ||
(5) is actively seeking work in accordance with rules | ||
adopted by the commission; | ||
(6) for the individual's base period, has benefit wage | ||
credits: | ||
(A) in at least two calendar quarters; and | ||
(B) in an amount not less than 37 times the | ||
individual's benefit amount; | ||
(7) after the beginning date of the individual's most | ||
recent prior benefit year, if applicable, earned wages in an amount | ||
equal to not less than six times the individual's benefit amount; | ||
(8) has been totally or partially unemployed for a | ||
waiting period of at least seven consecutive days; and | ||
(9) participates in reemployment services, such as a | ||
job search assistance service, if the individual has been | ||
determined, according to a profiling system established by the | ||
commission, to be likely to exhaust eligibility for regular | ||
benefits and to need those services to obtain new employment, | ||
unless: | ||
(A) the individual has completed participation | ||
in such a service; or | ||
(B) there is reasonable cause, as determined by | ||
the commission, for the individual's failure to participate in | ||
those services. | ||
SECTION 2. Subtitle A, Title 4, Labor Code, is amended by | ||
adding Chapter 216 to read as follows: | ||
CHAPTER 216. SELF-EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM | ||
Sec. 216.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: | ||
(1) "Self-employment activity" means a | ||
commission-approved activity that furthers an individual's goal to | ||
start a business. | ||
(2) "Self-employment assistance allowance" means an | ||
unemployment compensation benefit payable to an individual engaged | ||
in a self-employment activity. | ||
Sec. 216.002. SELF-EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. (a) The | ||
commission shall establish and administer a self-employment | ||
assistance program to provide financial assistance to an eligible | ||
individual seeking to start a business. | ||
(b) Subject to the requirements of this chapter, an | ||
individual participating in the self-employment assistance program | ||
may receive a self-employment assistance allowance in lieu of and | ||
in an amount equal to the individual's benefit amount. | ||
(c) Any self-employment assistance allowance payments made | ||
to an individual under this chapter are included for purposes of | ||
determining whether the individual has received the maximum amount | ||
of benefits for which the individual is eligible as provided by | ||
Section 207.005. | ||
Sec. 216.003. COMMISSION DUTIES. (a) The commission by | ||
rule shall establish eligibility criteria for an individual | ||
participating in the self-employment assistance program. | ||
(b) The commission shall establish weekly self-employment | ||
activity requirements for an individual to qualify to receive a | ||
self-employment assistance allowance. | ||
(c) The commission shall adopt rules as necessary to comply | ||
with any federal requirement applicable to a self-employment | ||
assistance program. | ||
Sec. 216.004. ELIGIBILITY. (a) An individual is eligible | ||
to participate in the self-employment assistance program if the | ||
individual: | ||
(1) is likely to exhaust the individual's regular | ||
benefits; and | ||
(2) meets any eligibility criteria established by the | ||
commission. | ||
(b) An individual is eligible to receive a self-employment | ||
assistance allowance for a week in which the individual is engaged | ||
in a self-employment activity and meets all the eligibility | ||
requirements under Chapter 207 to receive benefits other than the | ||
requirements of Sections 207.021(a)(4) and (5). | ||
Sec. 216.005. LIMITATION ON PARTICIPATION. At any time, | ||
the aggregate number of individuals receiving self-employment | ||
assistance allowances may not exceed five percent of the number of | ||
individuals receiving regular benefits under this subtitle. | ||
SECTION 3. Not later than June 30, 2020, the Texas Workforce | ||
Commission shall adopt the rules required by Chapter 216, Labor | ||
Code, as added by this Act. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |