Texas Employment and Labor Law Updates 2023


December

There were no employment and/or labor bills that were enacted that were identified.


November

There were no employment and/or labor bills that were enacted that were identified.


October

There were no employment and/or labor bills that were enacted that were identified.


September

State Preemption of Municipal and County Regulations

Bill

House Bill 2127 (2023)

Summary

Relates to state preemption of and the effect of certain state or federal law on certain municipal and county regulation.

Enacted

09/14/2023

Effective Date

06/14/2023

Topics

Employment_relations: Work_schedule; Government: Local_authority; Wage_and_Hour: Benefits, Wage_and_hour


Powers and Duties of the State Workforce Commission

Bill

House Bill 2975 (2023)

Summary

Relates to Powers and duties of the State Workforce Commission with respect to work and family policies; provides that 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 the commission does not and may not provide legal advice and an employer is not required by law to implement a work and family policy included on the commission’s website.

Enacted

09/14/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Government: Dept_of_Labor


Penalties of the Employment of Children

Bill

House Bill 2459 (2023)

Summary

Relates to the administration of violations and administrative penalties of the Employment of Children.

Enacted

09/14/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Claims_and_Penalties: Administrative, Penalty; Wage_and_Hour: Child_labor


Regulation of Group Family Leave Insurance

Bill

House Bill 1996 (2023)

Summary

Relates to the regulation of group family leave insurance issued through an employer to pay for certain losses of income.

Enacted

09/14/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Industry: Public_employer


Benefits for Certain First Responders

Bill

House Bill 471 (2023)

Summary

Provides that a political subdivision shall provide to a firefighter, police officer, or emergency medical services personnel a leave of absence for an illness or injury related to the person’s line of duty; provides that at the end of the leave of absence, the governing body of the political subdivision may extend the leave of absence at full or reduced pay.

Enacted

09/14/2023

Effective Date

06/12/2023

Topics

Industry: Public_employer


Line of Duty Illness or Injury Leave for Sheriffs

Bill

House Bill 995 (2023)

Summary

Relates to sheriff’s department disability leave in certain counties; states that a county shall provide to an employee a leave of absence for an illness or injury related to the employee’s activities performed in the line of duty; provides that the leave is with full pay for a period commensurate with the nature of the line of duty illness or injury.

Enacted

09/14/2023

Effective Date

06/10/2023

Topics

Industry: Public_employer


Age Limit for Position in a Police Department

Bill

House Bill 1661 (2023)

Summary

Relates to the age limit for a beginning position in a police department under municipal civil service.

Enacted

09/14/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Employee_obligation: Driver_license


Occupational Drivers Licenses

Bill

House Bill 291 (2023)

Summary

Relates to occupational driver’s licenses and to the renewal of driver’s licenses; provides that a person is eligible to apply occupational driver’s license if the person’s whose license has been suspended, revoked, or canceled for a cause other than a physical or mental disability or impairment.

Enacted

09/14/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Employee_obligation: Driver_license


Hair Texture or Protective Hairstyle Discrimination

Bill

House Bill 567 (2023)

Summary

Relates to discrimination on the basis of hair texture or protective hairstyle associated with race; provides that an employer, labor union, or employment agency commits an unlawful employment practice if the employer, labor union, or employment agency adopts or enforces a dress or grooming policy that discriminates against a hair texture or protective hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race.

Enacted

09/14/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Prohibited_Practices: Discrimination, Hairstyles, Race


Access to Criminal History Record

Bill

Senate Bill 1112 (2023)

Summary

Provides that the Public Utility Commission is entitled to obtain from the Department of Public Safety criminal history record information that relates to a person undergoing a background and criminal history check; provides that criminal history record information is for the exclusive use of the Commission and is privileged and confidential and may not be released or disclosed to any person or agency except on court order or with the consent of the person who is the subject of the information.

Enacted

09/14/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Employer_Obligations: Background_checks, Criminal_history; Industry: Utility


Adoption of a Mental Health Leave Policy

Bill

House Bill 1486 (2023)

Summary

Relates to the adoption of a mental health leave policy for certain telecommunicators; provides that each law enforcement agency, and each agency of the State or of a political subdivision of the State that employs a full-time telecommunicator, shall develop and adopt a policy allowing the use of mental health leave by the peace officers and full-time telecommunicators, as applicable, employed by the agency who experience a traumatic event in the scope of that employment.

Enacted

09/14/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Industry: Public_employer


State Employment Preference

Bill

Senate Bill 1376 (2023)

Summary

Provides that specified individuals qualify for a military employment preference, including but not limited to the spouse of a member of the United States Armed Forces or Texas National Guard serving on active duty and the spouse of a veteran if the spouse is the primary source of income for the household and the veteran has a total disability rating based either on having a service-connected disability with a disability rating of at least a specified percent or on individual unemployability.

Enacted

09/14/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Industry: Public_employer


Compensatory Time Off for Certain State Employees

Bill

Senate Bill 2214 (2023)

Summary

Relates to compensatory time off for certain State employees; provides that specified State employees who are required to work on a holiday that falls on a Saturday or Sunday is entitled to compensatory time off at the rate of one hour for each hour worked on the holiday, including an employee of the Department of Family and Protective Services in the Statewide Intake Division who receives reports of abuse or neglect and an employee of the Department of Public Safety, under certain conditions.

Enacted

09/14/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Industry: Public_employer


Paid Leave By Certain State Employees

Bill

Senate Bill 222 (2023)

Summary

Relates to paid leave by certain state employees for the birth or adoption of a child; applies only to a state employee who is a member of the Employees Retirement System of Texas or is employed by a board, commission, department, or other agency in the executive branch of state government created by the constitution or a statute of this state, except for an institution of higher education.

Enacted

09/14/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Industry: Public_employer


August

There were no employment and/or labor bills that were enacted that were identified.


July

There were no employment and/or labor bills that were enacted that were identified.


June

State Employment Preference

Bill

Senate Bill 1376 (2023)

Summary

Provides that specified individuals qualify for a military employment preference, including but not limited to the spouse of a member of the United States Armed Forces or Texas National Guard serving on active duty and the spouse of a veteran if the spouse is the primary source of income for the household and the veteran has a total disability rating based either on having a service-connected disability with a disability rating of at least a specified percent or on individual unemployability.

Enacted

06/18/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Industry: Public_employer


Paid Leave By Certain State Employees

Bill

Senate Bill 222 (2023)

Summary

Relates to paid leave by certain state employees for the birth or adoption of a child; applies only to a state employee who is a member of the Employees Retirement System of Texas or is employed by a board, commission, department, or other agency in the executive branch of state government created by the constitution or a statute of this state, except for an institution of higher education.

Enacted

06/18/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Industry: Public_employer


Adoption of a Mental Health Leave Policy

Bill

House Bill 1486 (2023)

Summary

Relates to the adoption of a mental health leave policy for certain telecommunicators; provides that each law enforcement agency, and each agency of the State or of a political subdivision of the State that employs a full-time telecommunicator, shall develop and adopt a policy allowing the use of mental health leave by the peace officers and full-time telecommunicators, as applicable, employed by the agency who experience a traumatic event in the scope of that employment.

Enacted

06/18/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Industry: Public_employer


State Preemption of Municipal and County Regulations

Bill

House Bill 2127 (2023)

Summary

Relates to state preemption of and the effect of certain state or federal law on certain municipal and county regulation.

Enacted

06/14/2023

Effective Date

06/14/2023

Topics

Employment_relations: Work_schedule; Government: Local_authority; Wage_and_Hour: Benefits, Wage_and_hour


Powers and Duties of the State Workforce Commission

Bill

House Bill 2975 (2023)

Summary

Relates to Powers and duties of the State Workforce Commission with respect to work and family policies; provides that 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 the commission does not and may not provide legal advice and an employer is not required by law to implement a work and family policy included on the commission’s website.

Enacted

06/13/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Claims_and_Penalties: Administrative, Penalty; Wage_and_Hour: Child_labor


Penalties of the Employment of Children

Bill

House Bill 2459 (2023)

Summary

Relates to the administration of violations and administrative penalties of the Employment of Children.

Enacted

06/12/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Claims_and_Penalties: Administrative, Penalty; Wage_and_Hour: Child_labor


Regulation of Group Family Leave Insurance

Bill

House Bill 1996 (2023)

Summary

Relates to the regulation of group family leave insurance issued through an employer to pay for certain losses of income.

Enacted

06/12/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Leave_laws: Family, Insurance_rider, Medical; Wage_and_Hour: Benefits


Benefits for Certain First Responders

Bill

House Bill 471 (2023)

Summary

Provides that a political subdivision shall provide to a firefighter, police officer, or emergency medical services personnel a leave of absence for an illness or injury related to the person’s line of duty; provides that at the end of the leave of absence, the governing body of the political subdivision may extend the leave of absence at full or reduced pay.

Enacted

06/12/2023

Effective Date

06/12/2023

Topics

Industry: Public_employer


Line of Duty Illness or Injury Leave for Sheriffs

Bill

House Bill 995 (2023)

Summary

Relates to sheriff’s department disability leave in certain counties; states that a county shall provide to an employee a leave of absence for an illness or injury related to the employee’s activities performed in the line of duty; provides that the leave is with full pay for a period commensurate with the nature of the line of duty illness or injury.

Enacted

06/10/2023

Effective Date

06/10/2023

Topics

Industry: Public_employer


Age Limit for Position in a Police Department

Bill

House Bill 1661 (2023)

Summary

Relates to the age limit for a beginning position in a police department under municipal civil service.

Enacted

06/09/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Industry: Public_employer


Occupational Drivers Licenses

Bill

House Bill 291 (2023)

Summary

Relates to occupational driver’s licenses and to the renewal of driver’s licenses; provides that a person is eligible to apply occupational driver’s license if the person’s whose license has been suspended, revoked, or canceled for a cause other than a physical or mental disability or impairment.

Enacted

06/09/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Employee_obligation: Driver_license


May

Hair Texture or Protective Hairstyle Discrimination

Bill

House Bill 567 (2023)

Summary

Relates to discrimination on the basis of hair texture or protective hairstyle associated with race; provides that an employer, labor union, or employment agency commits an unlawful employment practice if the employer, labor union, or employment agency adopts or enforces a dress or grooming policy that discriminates against a hair texture or protective hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race.

Enacted

05/27/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Prohibited_Practices: Discrimination, Hairstyles, Race


Workplace Violence Prevention

Bill

Senate Bill 240 (2023)

Summary

Relates to workplace violence prevention in certain health facilities; provides that each facility shall establish a workplace violence prevention committee or authorize an existing facility committee to develop the workplace violence prevention plan.

Enacted

05/25/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Claims_and_Penalties: Administrative; Employer_Obligations: Committee, Policy_requirement, Workplace_violence; Industry: Community_service, Emergency_services, Health_care_facility, Hospitals, In-home_services, Surgical_center; Prohibited_Practices: Retaliation


Access to Criminal History Record

Bill

Senate Bill 1112 (2023)

Summary

Provides that the Public Utility Commission is entitled to obtain from the Department of Public Safety criminal history record information that relates to a person undergoing a background and criminal history check; provides that criminal history record information is for the exclusive use of the Commission and is privileged and confidential and may not be released or disclosed to any person or agency except on court order or with the consent of the person who is the subject of the information.

Enacted

05/23/2023

Effective Date

09/01/2023

Topics

Employer_Obligations: Background_checks, Criminal_history; Industry: Utility


Compensatory Time Off for Certain State Employees

Bill

Senate Bill 2214 (2023)

Summary

Relates to compensatory time off for certain State employees; provides that specified State employees who are required to work on a holiday that falls on a Saturday or Sunday is entitled to compensatory time off at the rate of one hour for each hour worked on the holiday, including an employee of the Department of Family and Protective Services in the Statewide Intake Division who receives reports of abuse or neglect and an employee of the Department of Public Safety, under certain conditions.

Enacted

05/19/2023

Effective Date

 09/01/2023

Topics

Industry: Public_employer


Workplace Violence Prevention

Bill

Senate Bill 240 (2023)

Summary

Relates to workplace violence prevention in certain health facilities; provides that each facility shall establish a workplace violence prevention committee or authorize an existing facility committee to develop the workplace violence prevention plan.

Enacted

05/15/2023

Effective Date

 09/01/2023

Topics

Claims_and_Penalties: Administrative; Employer_Obligations: Committee, Policy_requirement, Workplace_violence; Industry: Community_service, Emergency_services, Health_care_facility, Hospitals, In-home_services, Surgical_center; Prohibited_Practices: Retaliation


April

There were no employment and/or labor bills that were enacted that were identified.


March

There were no employment and/or labor bills that were enacted that were identified.


February

There were no employment and/or labor bills that were enacted that were identified.


January

There were no employment and/or labor bills that were enacted that were identified.