H.B. No. 2975

	AN ACT
	relating to powers and duties of the Texas Workforce Commission
	with respect to work and family policies.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Sections 81.001, 81.003, 81.0045, 81.0046,
	81.005, 81.007, and 81.008, Labor Code, are amended to read as
	follows:
	Sec. 81.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
	(1)  ["Clearinghouse" means the Work and Family
	Policies Clearinghouse.
	[(2)]  "Commission" means the Texas Workforce
	Commission.
	(2)  "Work and family policies" means family-related
	employment policies, including:
	(A)  hiring and scheduling practices;
	(B)  employee benefits;
	(C)  dependent care assistance; and
	(D)  other terms of employment related to family.
	Sec. 81.003.  WORK AND FAMILY POLICIES RESOURCES
	[CLEARINGHOUSE].  The [Work and Family Policies Clearinghouse is
	within the] commission shall maintain on its Internet website
	information and resources for employers who are considering,
	selecting, or implementing work and family policies, together with
	an explanation that:
	(1)  the commission does not and may not provide legal
	advice; and
	(2)  an employer is not required by law to implement a
	work and family policy included on the commission's website.
	Sec. 81.0045.  DEPENDENT CARE GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The
	commission [clearinghouse] may establish a grant program to provide
	funds to public or private persons to conduct demonstration
	dependent care projects.
	(b)  The commission [clearinghouse] shall adopt rules
	governing the submission and approval of grant requests and the
	cancellation of grants.
	(c)  To receive a grant, a person whose grant is approved
	must execute an interagency agreement or a contract with the
	commission [clearinghouse]. The contract must require the person
	receiving the grant to perform the services as stated in the
	approved grant request. The contract must contain appropriate
	provisions for program and fiscal monitoring.
	Sec. 81.0046.  PROMOTION OF WORK AND FAMILY POLICIES
	[EMPLOYEE DEPENDENT CARE BENEFITS]. In providing [technical
	assistance and] information and resources under this chapter, the
	commission may [clearinghouse shall] encourage employers to
	implement work and family policies [provide employee dependent care
	benefits] by:
	(1)  providing examples of work and family policies or
	providing economic data that demonstrates [promoting] the economic
	benefits realized by employers who implement work and family
	policies [provide dependent care benefits], including decreased
	absenteeism and turnover rates, greater productivity, and federal
	and state tax incentives;
	(2)  advertising the availability of federal and state
	tax incentives for work and family policies [employee dependent
	care benefits]; and
	(3)  sharing other relevant information and resources
	provided to the commission voluntarily by employers, employees, and
	other stakeholders [providing technical assistance to employers
	who establish employee dependent care benefit programs, including
	assistance in obtaining federal and state tax incentives].
	Sec. 81.005.  SHARING [DEPOSIT OF] MATERIALS ON WORK AND
	FAMILY POLICIES.  The commission may share materials [Materials] on
	work and [employment-related] family policies [issues] that are
	published by state agencies with [may be deposited with the
	clearinghouse for distribution to] employers, job applicants, and
	other interested persons.
	Sec. 81.007.  RULES. The commission [by rule] may adopt
	rules to implement this chapter [procedures to implement functions
	under Sections 81.004 and 81.005. In adopting rules under this
	section, the commission shall consider the recommendations of the
	clearinghouse staff].
	Sec. 81.008.  GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. (a) The
	commission [clearinghouse] may accept a gift or grant from a public
	or private entity to fund any activity under this chapter.
	(b)  The commission may accept a donation of money, services,
	or property only if the commission determines that the donation
	furthers the lawful purposes and objectives of the commission under
	this chapter and the donation is accepted in an open meeting by a
	majority of the voting members of the commission. The donation must
	be reported in the public records of the commission with the name of
	the donor and the purpose of the donation.  This subsection does not
	apply to information and resources voluntarily shared with the
	commission under Section 81.0046.
	SECTION 2.  Section 81.004, Labor Code, is repealed.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 2975 was passed by the House on May 9,
	2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 128, Nays 14, 2 present, not
	voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 2975 was passed by the Senate on May
	24, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED:  _____________________
	Date
	_____________________
	Governor