HBA-NLM H.B. 2126 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2126 By: Solis, Jim Economic Development 3/10/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law requires an applicant for unemployment benefits to be screened to determine the applicant's eligibility based on wages earned during a week. Since the eligibility screening requirement is solely based on earned wages, it is possible for individuals to receive unemployment while working 40 hours a week or more. The purpose of this bill is to create a time-screening requirement in addition to the wage-screening requirement. H.B. 2126 provides that an individual is not considered unemployed and is not eligible to receive benefits for any benefit period in which the individual works at least 40 hours, regardless of the amount of wages the individual earns during the benefit period. 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. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 201.091, Labor Code, by adding Subsection (e), to provide that an individual is not considered unemployed and is not eligible to receive benefits for any benefit period in which the individual works at least 40 hours, regardless of the amount of wages the individual earns during the benefit period. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.