Proposed Bill Would Prohibit "Ban the Box" Ordinances Applicable to Private Employers in Texas
Earlier this year, and riding what appeared to be a nationwide backlash wave, Austin passed a "ban the box" ordinance requiring qualifying private employers to conduct an individualized assessment of an applicant's criminal background record after a conditional offer of employment has been made. For more information on Austin's new law, see my April 29, 2016 blog post. This week, Representative Paul Workman (R-Austin) filed House Bill 577, which, if enacted, will amend Chapter 106 of the Texas Labor Code to prohibit a political subdivision of the state from adopting or enforcing any ordinance or other local regulation that prohibits, limits, or regulates a private employer's ability to request, consider, or take employment action based on the criminal history record information of an applicant or employee. See the text of the HB 577 here: http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/85R/billtext/pdf/HB00577I.pdf#navpanes=0 In its current form, HB 577 wou...