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.