BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1053 By: Raymond 04-19-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Domestic violence accounts for nearly one-fourth of all violent crime in Texas. In FY 1993, more than 750,000 women in Texas were physically or sexually abused by their husbands or partners. During the same period, Texas shelters housed 27,592 women and children. However, another approximately 9,600 victims were denied shelter services because no space was available. Texas family violence shelters operate through contracts awarded by the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS) and local funds. In 1993, DHS contracted with 62 family violence shelters operated by public or private non-profit entities, in 144 Texas counties at a cost of about $8 million. PURPOSE H.B. 1053 seeks to expand funding for family violence shelters in Texas by requiring the Department of Human Services to apply for matching federal emergency assistance funds under Title IV-A of the Social Security Act to use for family violence services. Emergency Assistance is intended for needy families with children "if the assistance is necessary to avoid the destitution of a child or to provide living arrangements in a home for the child." Family shelters can provide services to needy families for six to 12 months using federal emergency assistance funds. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY H.B. 1053 grants the Texas Dept. of Human Services rulemaking authority in Sec. 15.0051(3) relating to the development of reporting procedures for services to victims of family violence in order to draw down matching federal funds under the Emergency Assistance plan. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS Section 1. Amends Chapter 51, Human Resources Code, by adding new Section 51.0051 as follows: Sec. 51.0051. MAXIMIZING FEDERAL FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS TO BENEFIT VICTIMS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE. In order to maximize federal funding for family violence victims, requires DHS to: (1) Ensure that contracts for family violence services include provisions to maximize federal funding; (2) Amend the state's emergency assistance plan to maximize federal funding; and (3) Establish by rule reporting procedures required by federal law to receive federal matching funds. SECTION 2. Effective date, September 1, 1995. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION In a public hearing on April 10, 1995, the Chairman laid out H.B. 1053 and recognized Rep. Raymond to explain the bill. No one testified for, against or on H.B. 1053. Rep. Raymond closed and H.B. 1053 was left pending. On April 19, the committee took up H.B. 1053 which had been pending. The Chairman recognized Rep. Maxey to explain the bill. Rep. Maxey also moved to report H.B. 1053 favorably without amendment. The motion prevailed by a record vote of 9 Ayes, 0 Nays, 0 PNV, and 0 Absent.