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