AUSTIN – Today the Texas Public Policy Foundation cheered the passage of HB 1188 through the Texas Senate. The bill would limit the liability of employers who hire persons with past criminal convictions.
According to the bill, “A cause of action may not be brought against an employer, general contractor, premises owner, or other third party solely for negligently hiring or failing to adequately supervise an employee, based on evidence that the employee has been convicted of an offense.”
Marc Levin, Director of the Center for Effective Justice at the Foundation commented,
“With at least 20 percent of Texas adults having a criminal record, we must ensure individuals can punch the clock after they have done their time. Unfortunately, many business leaders have identified the threat of being sued for negligent hiring as one of the main reasons they cannot hire and retain otherwise qualified and productive rehabilitated ex-offenders.”
HB 1188 now goes to Governor Rick Perry for his signature.
Marc Levin is Director of the Center for Effective Justice at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a non-profit, free-market research institute based in Austin.
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