By Conley                                              H.B. No. 517
       74R2450 CLG-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the establishment of a public work experience program
    1-3  for certain AFDC recipients.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Human Resources Code,
    1-6  is amended by adding Section 31.0126 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 31.0126.  PUBLIC WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM.  (a)  The
    1-8  department by rule shall develop a public work experience program
    1-9  in accordance with federal law as a part of the job opportunities
   1-10  and basic skills (JOBS) training program under Part F, Subchapter
   1-11  IV, Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section 682).
   1-12        (b)  In adopting rules under this section, the department
   1-13  shall:
   1-14              (1)  establish the criteria for determining which
   1-15  recipients of financial assistance under this chapter are required
   1-16  to participate in the program;
   1-17              (2)  establish the number of hours and the length of
   1-18  time a participant is required to work under the program;
   1-19              (3)  provide to a participant job training and work
   1-20  experience within the department, without paying the participant a
   1-21  salary, in the area of health or child care, including in-home care
   1-22  and long-term care;
   1-23              (4)  consider, in making an assignment to a job
   1-24  training or work experience position, the participant's prior
    2-1  training, proficiency, experience, and skills; and
    2-2              (5)  ensure that a person who is receiving financial
    2-3  assistance under this chapter and who is medically incapable of
    2-4  participating in the program is not required to participate in the
    2-5  program without the person's consent.
    2-6        (c)  Of the amount of money the legislature appropriates to
    2-7  the department for the job opportunities and basic skills (JOBS)
    2-8  training program each fiscal year, the department shall apply at
    2-9  least 20 percent of that amount to the public work experience
   2-10  program.
   2-11        SECTION 2.  If before implementing Section 31.0126, Human
   2-12  Resources Code, as added by this Act, the Texas Department of Human
   2-13  Services determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal
   2-14  agency is necessary for implementation, the department shall
   2-15  request the waiver or authorization and may delay implementing that
   2-16  provision until the waiver or authorization is granted.
   2-17        SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   2-18        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-19  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-20  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-21  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-22  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.