Bill Text: TX SB56 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to employment discrimination training for members of the legislature and state or legislative employees and interns.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-01 - Referred to State Affairs [SB56 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-SB56-Introduced.html
  86R1982 MAW-D
 
  By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 56
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to employment discrimination training for members of the
  legislature and state or legislative employees and interns.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 21.010, Labor Code, is amended to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 21.010.  EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION TRAINING FOR STATE
  EMPLOYEES AND UNPAID INTERNS. (a) Each state agency shall provide
  to employees and unpaid interns of the agency an employment
  discrimination training program that complies with this section.
         (b)  The training program must provide the employee or unpaid
  intern with information regarding the agency's policies and
  procedures relating to employment discrimination, including
  employment discrimination involving sexual harassment.
         (c)  Each employee of a state agency shall attend the
  training program required by this section not later than the 30th
  day after the date the employee is hired by the agency and shall
  attend supplemental training every two years. An unpaid intern
  shall attend the training program required by this section not
  later than the 30th day after the date the internship begins. 
         (d)  [The commission shall develop materials for use by state
  agencies in providing employment discrimination training as
  required by this section.
         [(e)]  Each state agency shall require an employee or unpaid
  intern of the agency who attends a training program required by this
  section to sign a statement verifying the employee's or intern's
  attendance at the training program. The agency shall file the
  statement in the employee's or intern's personnel file.
         (e)  Section 21.1065(c) applies to a determination of
  whether an individual is an unpaid intern for purposes of this
  section.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 21, Labor Code, is amended
  by adding Sections 21.011 and 21.012 to read as follows:
         Sec. 21.011.  EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION TRAINING FOR
  LEGISLATORS AND LEGISLATIVE EMPLOYEES AND UNPAID INTERNS. (a)
  Each house of the legislature shall provide to members of that house
  and to employees and unpaid interns of that house an employment
  discrimination training program that complies with this section.
         (b)  The training program must provide the member, employee,
  or unpaid intern with information regarding the policies and
  procedures of the applicable house of the legislature that relate
  to employment discrimination, including employment discrimination
  involving sexual harassment.
         (c)  An individual elected to be a member of the legislature
  shall attend the training program required by this section:
               (1)  not earlier than the day following the date of the
  November general election that precedes the convening of each
  regular session of the legislature for which the individual is
  elected; and
               (2)  not later than February 1 of the year in which that
  regular session is convened.
         (d)  Each employee of a house of the legislature shall attend
  the training program required by this section not later than the
  30th day after the date the employee is hired by the house and shall
  attend supplemental training every two years. An unpaid intern
  shall attend the training program required by this section not
  later than the 30th day after the date the internship begins.
         (e)  The presiding officer of each house of the legislature
  shall require each member of that house who attends a training
  program required by this section to sign a statement verifying the
  member's attendance at the training program. The presiding officer
  shall maintain each statement.
         (f)  Each house of the legislature shall require an employee
  or unpaid intern of that house who attends a training program
  required by this section to sign a statement verifying the
  employee's or intern's attendance at the training program. The
  applicable house shall maintain each statement.
         (g)  Section 21.1065(c) applies to a determination of
  whether an individual is an unpaid intern for purposes of this
  section.
         Sec. 21.012.  EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION TRAINING MATERIALS.
  The commission shall develop materials for use in providing the
  employment discrimination training required by Sections 21.010 and
  21.011.
         SECTION 3.  (a) Not later than October 1, 2019, the Texas
  Workforce Commission shall develop the training materials required
  by Section 21.012, Labor Code, as added by this Act.
         (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c) of this section,
  the changes in law made by this Act apply only to an individual who
  becomes a member of the legislature, an employee of a house of the
  legislature, or an unpaid intern of a state agency or a house of the
  legislature after October 1, 2019.
         (c)  An individual who, on October 1, 2019, is a member of the
  legislature, an employee of a house of the legislature, or an unpaid
  intern of a state agency or a house of the legislature shall attend
  the applicable training program required by Section 21.010, Labor
  Code, as amended by this Act, or Section 21.011, Labor Code, as
  added by this Act, not later than November 1, 2019.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
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