HBA-NLM H.B. 2396 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2396 By: Deshotel Economic Development 4/11/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Formerly, federal laws mandated states to amend unemployment compensation law to disqualify recipients of certain periodic payments, including pensions and old age benefits under the Federal Social Security Act. Thereafter, the law was interpreted to provide the states discretion in applying such disqualification if the pensioner had contributed to the pension. The 75th Legislature amended Texas law to remove the disqualification for receipt of social security benefits. Accordingly, H.B. 2396 requires the Texas Workforce Commission to consider an individual's contribution, if a periodic payment otherwise described by this section is received by the individual who has contributed to the payment, rather than received by an individual under the federal Social Security Act, thus removing the disqualification of an individual receiving a pension. 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 207.050(b), Labor Code, to require the Texas Workforce Commission (commission) to consider an individual's contribution, if a periodic payment otherwise described by this section is received by the individual who has contributed to the payment, rather than received by an individual under the federal Social Security Act. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.