Bill Text: TX SB1591 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to cooperation with federal agencies on a guest worker program in this state.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-21 - Referred to Vet Affairs & Border Security [SB1591 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB1591-Introduced.html
| 85R2307 JSC-D | ||
| By: Lucio | S.B. No. 1591 | |
|
|
||
|
|
||
| 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. (a) This Act shall be known as the Texas | ||
| Immigration Procedure Trade and Development Act. | ||
| (b) Due to the decades-long failure by the federal | ||
| government to solve the undocumented immigration-related problems | ||
| facing the United States, individual states have been forced to | ||
| shoulder the consequences of a broken federal immigration system. | ||
| The Texas Immigration Procedure Trade and Development Act proposes | ||
| a balanced business-driven and law-driven state solution to failed | ||
| federal immigration policies that brings skilled and unskilled | ||
| workers into this state for temporary periods of time when Texas | ||
| workers are not available. | ||
| 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 secretary of state and 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 temporary guest worker program to be implemented in order to | ||
| bring skilled and unskilled workers into this state during periods | ||
| of time when workers in this state are not available to fill open | ||
| employment positions. The proposed program would: | ||
| (1) be self-funding through guest worker and employer | ||
| participation; | ||
| (2) require guest worker applicants to: | ||
| (A) pass a criminal history background check; | ||
| (B) register with the appropriate state and | ||
| federal agencies certifying the applicant's immigration status; | ||
| (C) submit proof of health benefit plan coverage | ||
| provided by the applicant's employer or purchased by the applicant; | ||
| (D) demonstrate a proficiency in the English | ||
| language; | ||
| (E) complete a workplace safety training course | ||
| provided by the applicant's employer; and | ||
| (F) reapply for financial assistance from any | ||
| public entitlement program from which the applicant is receiving | ||
| assistance at the time of application to the guest worker program | ||
| based on the applicant's status and income level as a temporary | ||
| guest worker; | ||
| (3) limit participation to employers that deduct and | ||
| match payroll taxes; and | ||
| (4) provide for a tamper-proof identification card for | ||
| guest workers participating in the program 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, 2017. | ||
