By Nelson                                              S.B. No. 554
       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.