SRC-SLL H.B. 1784 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 1784 By: Hilderbran (Duncan) Health & Human Services 5-16-97 Engrossed DIGEST This bill would implement recommendations from the House Interim Committee on Human Services Interim Report. This bill would direct the Department of Human Services to increase the amount of financial assistance granted to persons with dependent children to aid in covering costs related to a work activity. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 1784 provides regulations regarding the amount of assistance granted under the financial assistance program for persons with dependent children. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is granted to the Texas Department of Human Services in SECTION 1 (Section 31.003(b), Human Resources Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 31.003, Human Resources Code, to require the Texas Department of Human Service (department), by rule, to increase the amount of financial assistance granted to a recipient who is participating in a work or employment activity under Section 31.012 and is counted toward the state's minimum work participation rate requirement prescribed by 42 U.S.C. Section 607 in an amount sufficient to cover the recipient's incidental costs participating in the activity. Prohibits the additional amount from exceeding 10 percent of the base family grant. Requires the department to periodically estimate the number of recipients who will be participating in a work or employment activity under Section 31.012 and will be counted toward the state's minimum work participation rate requirement prescribed by 42 U.S.C. Section 607 and the number of recipients who will not be participating in those activities or will not be counted toward the state's minimum work participation rate requirement. Requires the department to develop a method to set the amounts of benefits under Subsection (b) in amounts that to the extent possible will not affect the total amount of financial assistance and services paid under this chapter. Defines "incidental costs." Makes conforming changes. SECTION 2. Amends Section 31.0065(b), Human Resources Code, to require the department to limit financial assistance and transitional benefits in accordance with a certain schedule except that financial assistance provided to a two-parent family is limited to a cumulative total of 12 months and transitional benefits are limited to 12 months. Makes conforming changes. SECTION 3. Requires the department, before implementing any provision of this Act, to request a waiver or authorization, if the department determines that a waiver or federal authorization is necessary for implementation, and authorizes the department to delay implementing that provision until the waiver or authorization is granted. SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 1997, and applies to all financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, that is paid on or after January 1, 1998, regardless of the date on which eligibility for that assistance was determined. SECTION 5. Emergency clause.