Rep. Chris Turner Passes First Bill in Texas House

House Bill 1637 will Aid Workers, Texas Business During Tough Economic Times

AUSTIN - Today State Representative Chris Turner passed his first bill in the Texas House of Representatives. Turner was the first freshman to pass a bill this legislative session, and did so on the first day the House considered legislation. Turner’s bill, House Bill 1637, was one of the first eight bills to be considered by the House in the 81st Legislature.

House Bill 1637 will enhance the Texas Shared Work Program, a Texas Workforce Commission program, which creates an alternative option to lay offs by providing proportionate unemployment compensation for a temporary reduction in work hours, rather than permanent job loss. Currently, the benefits provided by the program are based on a 40-hour work week. House Bill 1637 would amend the time frame from a one week period to an average of hours over two weeks. This would be beneficial to employees and employers in manufacturing fields as well as hospitals, where many workers have compressed schedules or work “swing shifts.”

“This is a pro-worker, pro-business bill. During challenging economic times, we need to give Texas employers and their employees as much support as possible,” said Rep. Turner. “So many companies are having to make the choice whether or not to downsize their workforce or cut employee hours. The Texas Shared Work Program aids employers and employees when they must cut hours, so they don’t have to make the tough decision to lay people off.”

When HB 1637 was heard in committee, representatives from the following organizations registered their support for the legislation: TECHNET, TechAmerica, Texas Association of Business, Texas AFL-CIO, Texas Association of Manufacturers and the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.

More information regarding the Texas Share Work Program may be found by visiting the Texas Workforce Commission Website –
http://www.texasworkforce.org/ui/bnfts/sharedworkfaq.html.

As it is tradition in the House, Freshman members are hazed by their colleagues when passing their first bill. Rep. Turner received questions, most of which did not pertain to the bill, by several of his fellow members. The hazing topics included where Turner went to high school, if he knew anything about the appropriation of the Federal stimulus money and why his former boss, Congressman Chet Edwards, won by a larger margin after Turner left his office.