HBA-EDN H.B. 318 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 318 By: Tillery Economic Development 2/23/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, an individual may be disqualified for unemployment benefits if the individual is unemployed due to a labor dispute occurring at another workplace. House Bill 318 allows workers to receive unemployment benefits if locked out or placed on emergency leave due to a dispute involving an unrelated labor contract. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 318 amends the Labor Code to remove provisions that disqualify an individual for unemployment benefits for a benefit period in which the individual's unemployment is caused by a labor dispute at another place that is owned or operated by or that supplies necessary material or services to the employing unit where the individual is or was last employed. The bill provides that disqualification for unemployment benefits does not apply to an individual who shows to the satisfaction of the Texas Workforce Commission that the individual has been locked out of the individual's place of employment or has been placed on emergency leave without pay by the individual's employer. The bill also provides that the payment of regular union dues by an individual does not constitute financing of a labor dispute and does not disqualify an individual for unemployment benefits. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.