Bill Text: TX SB652 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Enrolled


Bill Title: Relating to excluding a franchisor as an employer of a franchisee or a franchisee's employees.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 8-1)

Status: (Passed) 2015-06-19 - Effective on 9/1/15 [SB652 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-SB652-Enrolled.html
 
 
  S.B. No. 652
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to excluding a franchisor as an employer of a franchisee or
  a franchisee's employees.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 21, Labor Code, is amended
  by adding Section 21.0022 to read as follows:
         Sec. 21.0022.  FRANCHISORS EXCLUDED. (a)  In this section,
  "franchisee" and "franchisor" have the meanings assigned by 16
  C.F.R. Section 436.1.
         (b)  For purposes of this chapter, a franchisor is not
  considered to be an employer of:
               (1)  a franchisee; or
               (2)  a franchisee's employees.
         (c)  With respect to a specific claim for relief under this
  chapter made by a franchisee or a franchisee's employee, this
  section does not apply to a franchisor who has been found by a court
  of competent jurisdiction in this state to have exercised a type or
  degree of control over the franchisee or the franchisee's employees
  not customarily exercised by a franchisor for the purpose of
  protecting the franchisor's trademarks and brand.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 61, Labor Code, is amended
  by adding Section 61.0031 to read as follows:
         Sec. 61.0031.  FRANCHISORS EXCLUDED. (a)  In this section,
  "franchisee" and "franchisor" have the meanings assigned by 16
  C.F.R. Section 436.1.
         (b)  For purposes of this chapter, a franchisor is not
  considered to be an employer of:
               (1)  a franchisee; or
               (2)  a franchisee's employees.
         (c)  With respect to a specific claim for relief under this
  chapter made by a franchisee or a franchisee's employee, this
  section does not apply to a franchisor who has been found by a court
  of competent jurisdiction in this state to have exercised a type or
  degree of control over the franchisee or the franchisee's employees
  not customarily exercised by a franchisor for the purpose of
  protecting the franchisor's trademarks and brand.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter A, Chapter 62, Labor Code, is amended
  by adding Section 62.006 to read as follows:
         Sec. 62.006.  FRANCHISORS EXCLUDED. (a)  In this section,
  "franchisee" and "franchisor" have the meanings assigned by 16
  C.F.R. Section 436.1.
         (b)  For purposes of this chapter, a franchisor is not
  considered to be an employer of:
               (1)  a franchisee; or
               (2)  a franchisee's employees.
         (c)  With respect to a specific claim for relief under this
  chapter made by a franchisee or a franchisee's employee, this
  section does not apply to a franchisor who has been found by a court
  of competent jurisdiction in this state to have exercised a type or
  degree of control over the franchisee or the franchisee's employees
  not customarily exercised by a franchisor for the purpose of
  protecting the franchisor's trademarks and brand.
         SECTION 4.  Chapter 91, Labor Code, is amended by adding
  Section 91.0013 to read as follows:
         Sec. 91.0013.  FRANCHISORS EXCLUDED. (a)  In this section,
  "franchisee" and "franchisor" have the meanings assigned by 16
  C.F.R. Section 436.1.
         (b)  For purposes of this chapter, a franchisor is not
  considered to be in a coemployment relationship with:
               (1)  a franchisee; or
               (2)  a franchisee's employees.
         (c)  With respect to a specific claim for relief under this
  chapter made by a franchisee or a franchisee's employee, this
  section does not apply to a franchisor who has been found by a court
  of competent jurisdiction in this state to have exercised a type or
  degree of control over the franchisee or the franchisee's employees
  not customarily exercised by a franchisor for the purpose of
  protecting the franchisor's trademarks and brand.
         SECTION 5.  Section 201.021, Labor Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read as follows:
         (d)  In this subsection, "franchisee" and "franchisor" have
  the meanings assigned by 16 C.F.R. Section 436.1. The definition of
  employer provided by this section does not apply to a franchisor
  with respect to:
               (1)  a franchisee; or
               (2)  a franchisee's employees.
         (e)  With respect to a specific claim for relief under this
  subtitle made by a franchisee or a franchisee's employee,
  Subsection (d) does not apply to a franchisor who has been found by
  a court of competent jurisdiction in this state to have exercised a
  type or degree of control over the franchisee or the franchisee's
  employees not customarily exercised by a franchisor for the purpose
  of protecting the franchisor's trademarks and brand.
         SECTION 6.  Subchapter B, Chapter 401, Labor Code, is
  amended by adding Section 401.014 to read as follows:
         Sec. 401.014.  FRANCHISORS EXCLUDED. (a)  In this section,
  "franchisee" and "franchisor" have the meanings assigned by 16
  C.F.R. Section 436.1.
         (b)  For purposes of this subtitle, a franchisor is not
  considered to be an employer of:
               (1)  a franchisee; or
               (2)  a franchisee's employees.
         (c)  With respect to a specific claim for relief under this
  subtitle made by a franchisee or a franchisee's employee, this
  section does not apply to a franchisor who has been found by a court
  of competent jurisdiction in this state to have exercised a type or
  degree of control over the franchisee or the franchisee's employees
  not customarily exercised by a franchisor for the purpose of
  protecting the franchisor's trademarks and brand.
         SECTION 7.  Subchapter A, Chapter 411, Labor Code, is
  amended by adding Section 411.005 to read as follows:
         Sec. 411.005.  FRANCHISORS EXCLUDED. (a)  In this section,
  "franchisee" and "franchisor" have the meanings assigned by 16
  C.F.R. Section 436.1.
         (b)  For purposes of this chapter, a franchisor is not
  considered to be an employer of:
               (1)  a franchisee; or
               (2)  a franchisee's employees.
         (c)  With respect to a specific claim for relief under this
  chapter made by a franchisee or a franchisee's employee, this
  section does not apply to a franchisor who has been found by a court
  of competent jurisdiction in this state to have exercised a type or
  degree of control over the franchisee or the franchisee's employees
  not customarily exercised by a franchisor for the purpose of
  protecting the franchisor's trademarks and brand.
         SECTION 8.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to the liability of a franchisor based on conduct occurring on or
  after the effective date of this Act. Conduct by a franchisor
  occurring before the effective date of this Act is governed by the
  law in effect on the date the conduct occurred, and the former law
  is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 9.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 652 passed the Senate on
  March 25, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 23, Nays 8;
  May 22, 2015, Senate refused to concur in House amendment and
  requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 27, 2015, House
  granted request of the Senate; May 30, 2015, Senate adopted
  Conference Committee Report by the following vote:  Yeas 27,
  Nays 4.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 652 passed the House, with
  amendment, on May 18, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 138,
  Nays 2, one present not voting; May 27, 2015, House granted request
  of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee;
  May 30, 2015, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the
  following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 0, two present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
             Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor
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