
4 minute read
Sick leave mandates - round two
defense against these overreaching city ordinances lies in court decisions and actions taken by state officials
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton intervened in litigation initiated by a lawsuit of San Antonio business groups against the city of San Antonio, regarding a sick leave ordinance that was set to go into effect at the beginning of August
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Howe ISD free and reducedprice meals info
Howe ISD announced its policy today for providing free and reduced-price meals for children served under the attached current income eligibility guidelines Each school/site or the central office has a copy of the policy, which may be reviewed by anyone on request
Starting on August 20th, 2018 check the box for
“No Social Security number”
4 Signature of an adult household member attesting that the information provided is correct
Categorical or Program Eligibility members of the Texas House State Affairs Committee earlier this year “A one-size-fits-all government mandate is not the answer”
Ellard echoes the sentiments of many small business owners across the state
The cause for their concern? An onslaught of onerous local ordinances that are threatening the ability of Texas business owners to operate freely
Their worries are justified If Texas cities are successful in passing these measures such as forcing employers to provide paid sick leave as a benefit then small business owners will struggle to make ends meet while fulfilling these requirements
Likewise, businesses operating in multiple jurisdictions will face compliance issues as they try to deal with a mishmash of regulations spread out across numerous municipalities
It is important to keep in mind that the addressing of this problem is not an attack on workers Paid sick leave is considered a benefit for a reason, and it is in no way an inherently bad thing
Many employers maintain a competitive edge by providing benefit packages (which may include paid sick leave) and by working with their employees when situations such as illnesses arise
Unfortunately, this edge is lost when all businesses are required to provide the same thing for their employees Whenever government interferes with the natural ebb and flow of the marketplace, it disincentivizes both employers and their employees by hampering innovation and limiting creative ways that the two can benefit each other
But there’s hope The best line of
This intervention was not the first time that the Attorney General’s office had become involved, either In a letter addressed to the San Antonio mayor and city council last year, the office firmly stated that “Texas law preempts a municipal paid sick leave ordinance,” regardless of any action taken by the council
Recently, a Bexar County district judge approved an agreement made earlier this month between San Antonio business groups and city attorneys to delay implementation of that paid sick leave ordinance until December This will allow more time for the ordinance to be refined
Last year, a court of appeals deemed a similar ordinance by the city of Austin to be unconstitutional According to Attorney General Ken Paxton, “San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and other cities cannot be allowed to pass their own laws simply because they dislike state law or disagree with the judgment of the state’s elected representatives ”
It is imperative to remember that the situation at hand is not about the state overpowering local control Instead, it is about ensuring the rights of individuals and private organizations to conduct business as they see fit and free from government interference
Texas is an excellent state for conducting business This still holds true, despite the recent trend of city governments drastically over-stepping their boundaries The good news is that business owners like Andy Ellard of Manda Machine Company and their employees can look to state officials and courts to defend their freedom to prosper
Grace Watson is a legislative fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation

Howe will begin distributing letters to the households of the children in the district about eligibility benefits and any actions households need to take to apply for these benefits
Criteria for Free and ReducedPrice Meal Benefits
The following criteria will be used to determine a child’s eligibility for free or reduced-price meal benefits:
Income
1 Household income that is at or below the income eligibility levels

Categorical or Automatic Eligibility
2 Household receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
Program Participant
3 Child’s status as a foster child, homeless, runaway, migrant, or displaced by a declared disaster
4 Child’s enrollment in Head Start or Even Start
Income Eligibility
For those households that qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on income, an adult in the household must fill out free and reduced-price meal application and return it to your child’s campus Those individuals filling out the application will need to provide the following information:
1 Names of all household members
2 Amount, frequency, and source of current income for each household member
3 Last 4 digits of the Social Security number of the adult household member who signs the application or, if the adult does not have a social security number,
Howe ISD is working with local agencies to identify all children who are categorically and program eligible Howe ISD will notify the households of these children that they do not need to complete an application Any household that does not receive a letter and feels it should have should contact the office at your child’s school
Any household that wishes to decline benefits should contact Brett Williams, Director of Operations Howe ISD
Applications may be submitted anytime during the school year The information households provide on the application will be used for the purpose of determining eligibility
Applications may also be verified by the school officials at any time during the school year
Determining Eligibility
Under the provisions of the free and reduced-price meal policy, Brett Williams, Director of Operations will review applications and determine eligibility Households or guardians dissatisfied with the Reviewing Official’s eligibility determination may wish to discuss the decision with the Reviewing Official on an informal basis
Households wishing to make a formal appeal for a hearing on the decision may make a request either orally or in writing to Kevin Wilson, Superintendent of Schools, 903-532-3228
Unexpected Circumstances
If a household member becomes unemployed or if the household size increases, the household should contact the school Such changes may make the children of the household eligible for benefits if the household’s income falls at or below the attached current income eligibility guidelines
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