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          A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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          AN ACT
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        relating to the employment status of certain individuals engaged in  | 
      
      
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        rehabilitative work-training programs. | 
      
      
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               BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
      
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               SECTION 1.  Section 201.067, Labor Code, is amended to read  | 
      
      
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        as follows: | 
      
      
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               Sec. 201.067.  REHABILITATIVE SERVICE; WORK RELIEF;   | 
      
      
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        EXCEPTION FOR SERVICES PERFORMED BY CERTAIN TRAINED [BLIND]  | 
      
      
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        INDIVIDUALS.  (a)  In this subtitle, "employment" does not include  | 
      
      
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        service performed [by an individual who]: | 
      
      
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                     (1)  by an individual whose earning capacity is  | 
      
      
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        impaired by age, physical impairment, developmental disability,  | 
      
      
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        mental illness, or intellectual disability or injury  [receives 
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          rehabilitative work or paying work in the employ of a facility that:
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                           [(A)
           
           
          is conducted to carry out a program of 
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          rehabilitation for individuals whose earning capacity is impaired 
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          by:
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                                 [(i)  age;
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                                 [(ii)
           
           
          physical impairment, other than 
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          blindness; or
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                                 [(iii)  mental deficiency or injury; or
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                           [(B)
           
           
          provides paying work for individuals who, 
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          because of their impaired physical or mental capacity, cannot be 
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          readily absorbed in the competitive labor market;
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                     [(2)  is blind] while the individual is in training at a  | 
      
      
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        sheltered workshop or other facility operated by a charitable  | 
      
      
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        organization under a rehabilitation program that includes: | 
      
      
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                           (A)  an individual plan for employment as required  | 
      
      
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        by 29 U.S.C. Section 722, as amended by the Workforce Innovation and  | 
      
      
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        Opportunity Act (Pub. L. No. 113-128); | 
      
      
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                           (B)  a timeline for completion of the training;  | 
      
      
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        and | 
      
      
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                           (C)  a planned employment outcome; or | 
      
      
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                     (2)  by an individual who [(3)] receives work relief or  | 
      
      
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        work training as a part of an unemployment work-relief or  | 
      
      
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        work-training program assisted or financed in whole or in part by a  | 
      
      
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        federal agency, an agency of a state, a political subdivision of a  | 
      
      
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        state, or an Indian tribe. | 
      
      
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               (b)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(1) [(a)], in this  | 
      
      
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        subtitle "employment" includes service performed by an individual  | 
      
      
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        whose earning capacity is impaired by age, physical impairment,  | 
      
      
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        developmental disability, mental illness, or intellectual  | 
      
      
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        disability or injury, other than an individual compensated as  | 
      
      
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        provided by Section 62.057,  [who is blind] and who, after training,  | 
      
      
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        is working for a sheltered workshop or other facility operated by a  | 
      
      
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        charitable organization: | 
      
      
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                     (1)  temporarily while awaiting placement in a position  | 
      
      
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        of employment in the competitive labor market; or | 
      
      
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                     (2)  permanently because the individual is unable to  | 
      
      
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        compete in the competitive labor market. | 
      
      
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               SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2016. |