By: DeAyala H.B. No. 4424       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to promoting re-employment and deterring fraud and abuse   in the Texas unemployment benefits program.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 207.021(a), Labor Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  Except as provided by Chapter 215, an unemployed   individual is eligible to receive benefits for a benefit period if   the individual:                (1)  has registered for work at an employment office   and has continued to report to the employment office as required by   rules adopted by the commission;                (2)  has made a claim for benefits under Section   208.001;                (3)  is able to work;                (4)  is available for work;                (5)  is actively seeking work in accordance with rules   adopted by the commission:                      (A)  is actively seeking work; and                      (B)  during each week of the benefit period,   performed at least five work search activities. Acceptable work   search activities include:                            (i)  completing and submitting an   application for a job;                            (ii)  submitted a resume to an employer that   advertised a job opening;                            (iii)  attending a job fair;                            (iv)  participating in a job interview or   employer-facilitated skills test;                            (v)  participating in a job or skill   training program.                (6)  for the individual's base period, has benefit wage   credits:                      (A)  in at least threetwo calendar quarters; and                      (B)  in an amount not less than 37 times the   individual's benefit amount;                (7)  after the beginning date of the individual's most   recent prior benefit year, if applicable, earned wages in an amount   equal to not less than 37six times the individual's benefit amount;                (8)  has been totally or partially unemployed for a   waiting period of at least seven consecutive days; and                (9)  participates in reemployment services, such as a   job search assistance service, if the individual has been   determined, according to a profiling system established by the   commission, to be likely to exhaust eligibility for regular   benefits and to need those services to obtain new employment,   unless:                      (A)  the individual has completed participation   in such a service; or                      (B)  there is reasonable cause, as determined by   the commission, for the individual's failure to participate in   those services.                (10)  A local workforce development board may require   more than five work search actions per week in any county served by   the board, but a board may not require fewer than five work search   actions per week.          SECTION 2.  Section 207.047, Labor Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as   follows:          (a)  An individual is disqualified for benefits if during the   individual's current benefit year, the individual failed, without   good cause, to:                (1)  apply for available, suitable work when directed   to do so by the commission;                (2)  accept suitable work offered to the individual; or                (3)  return to the individual's customary   self-employment, if any, when directed to do so by the commission;   or                (4)  respond to an employer's request for an interview   or to attend a scheduled interview for suitable work.          SECTION 3.  Section 208.021(b), Labor Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (b)  For each valid initial claim, the commission shall   determine:                (1)  the claimant's identity;                (2)  the claimant's benefit year;                (3) (2)  the benefit amount for total unemployment; and                (4) (3) the duration of benefits.          SECTION 4.  Subchapter B, Chapter 208, Labor Code, is   amended by adding Sections 208.0211 and 208.0212 to read as   follows:          Sec. 208.0211  DETERMINATION OF CLAIM VALIDITY.          (a)  In determining the validity of a claim under Section   208.021, the commission shall cross-check all claims for benefits   against:                (1)  the integrity data hub operated by the National   Association of State Workforce Agencies;                (2)  the national directory of new hires maintained by   the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement and any directory   of new hires maintained by the state of Texas;                (3)  death records maintained by the state of Texas;                (4)  records of persons who are incarcerated maintained   by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the Federal Bureau   of Prisons;                (5)  the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services'   SAVE database to determine immigration status and eligibility for   benefits.          (b)  For purposes of determining a claimant's identity under   this section, the commission shall employ a mechanism that allows   verification, with a government-issued form of identification, the   real identity of any claimant for unemployment benefits.          (c)  On confirmation that an individual no longer has a valid   claim, the commission shall suspend the payment of benefits   immediately.          (d)  Nothing in this section shall limit the commission from   developing and implementing additional measures to protect the   integrity of the unemployment benefits program.          SECTION 5.  Sections 214.003(a) and (b), Labor Code, are   amended to read as follows:          (a)  If, by willful nondisclosure or misrepresentation of a   material fact, whether the nondisclosure or misrepresentation is   made by the person or for the person by another, a person receives a   benefit when a condition imposed by this subtitle for the person's   qualifying for the benefit is not fulfilled or the person is   disqualified from receiving the benefit:                (1)  the person forfeits the:                      (A)  benefit received; and                      (B)  rights to benefits that remain in the benefit   year in which the nondisclosure or misrepresentation occurred; and                      (C)  rights to any benefits under this subtitle   until the earlier of:                            (i)  the end of the first calendar year   following the last day of the benefit year in which the   nondisclosure or misrepresentation occurred for the first   occurrence, the end of the third calendar year following the last   day of the benefit year in which the nondisclosure or   misrepresentation occurred for the second occurrence, the end of   the fifth calendar year following the last day of the benefit year   in which the nondisclosure or misrepresentation occurred for the   third and all future occurrences;                            (ii)  the date that the commission recovered   from the claimant any benefits received by willful nondisclosure or   misrepresentation of a material fact and any penalty imposed under   this section; and                (2)  the commission shall require the person to pay a   penalty in an amount equal to 15 percent of the amount forfeited   under Subdivision (1)(A).          (b)  If a person attempts to obtain or increase benefits by a   nondisclosure or misrepresentation as provided by Subsection (a),   the commission shallmay cancel the person's right to benefits that   remain in the benefit year in which the nondisclosure or   misrepresentation occurred for the first offense, the person's   right to any benefit under this subtitle for three years   immediately following the second offense, and for five years   immediately following the third and all future offenses.          SECTION 6.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to   a claim for unemployment compensation benefits filed with the Texas   Workforce Commission on or after the effective date of this Act. A   claim filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the   law in effect on the date the claim was filed, and the former law is   continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.