By Mowery, Conley H.B. No. 1673 74R3449 CLG-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the eligibility of certain minor parents to receive 1-3 AFDC benefits. 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 31.0055 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 31.0055. MINOR PARENTS RESIDING WITH RELATIVES OR OTHER 1-8 ADULTS. (a) The department may not provide financial assistance 1-9 to a minor parent who is receiving the assistance on behalf of a 1-10 dependent child unless both the minor parent and the dependent 1-11 child reside: 1-12 (1) with a parent or other adult family member, or the 1-13 guardian or managing conservator, of the minor parent; or 1-14 (2) in a foster home or other home or facility in 1-15 which the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services has 1-16 placed the minor parent if the Department of Protective and 1-17 Regulatory Services is the guardian or managing conservator of the 1-18 minor parent. 1-19 (b) A minor parent is exempt from the requirements of 1-20 Subsection (a) only if: 1-21 (1) after an investigation, the department determines 1-22 that the physical or emotional health or safety of the minor parent 1-23 or dependent child would be jeopardized by requiring the minor 1-24 parent and dependent child to reside with a person or in a place 2-1 described by Subsection (a); 2-2 (2) the minor parent does not have a parent, guardian, 2-3 or managing conservator whose location is known; 2-4 (3) the minor parent does not have a parent, guardian, 2-5 managing conservator, or adult family member who will allow the 2-6 minor parent and dependent child to reside in that person's home; 2-7 or 2-8 (4) the minor parent has a high school diploma or a 2-9 high school equivalency certificate. 2-10 (c) In this section, "minor" means a person 18 years of age 2-11 or younger who has never been married and who has not had the 2-12 person's disabilities of minority removed for general purposes. 2-13 SECTION 2. Section 31.0051, Human Resources Code, is 2-14 repealed. 2-15 SECTION 3. If before implementing Section 31.0055, Human 2-16 Resources Code, as added by this Act, the Texas Department of Human 2-17 Services determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal 2-18 agency is necessary for implementation, the department shall 2-19 request the waiver or authorization and may delay implementing 2-20 those provisions until the waiver or authorization is granted. 2-21 SECTION 4. The changes in law made by Section 31.0055, Human 2-22 Resources Code, as added by this Act, apply only to a person who 2-23 becomes eligible to receive financial assistance and services under 2-24 Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, on or after the effective date of 2-25 this Act. 2-26 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. 2-27 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the 3-1 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-2 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-3 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-4 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.