SRC-CDH C.S.S.B. 1262 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1262
By: Ellis
Health & Human Services
4-10-97
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 

Currently, the federal Personal Responsibility and Reconciliation Act of
1996 requires states to provide 20 hours of work activities for 25 percent
of their public assistance recipients in fiscal year 1997.  However, by
2002, states must have 50 percent of welfare recipients working at least
30 hours a week.  The federal welfare law defines eligible work activities
as unsubsidized employment, subsidized private or public employment, work
experience, on-the-job training, job search and job readiness activities,
community service programs, vocational education programs, job skills
training, and satisfactory attendance of secondary school for recipients
who have not completed high school. This legislation authorizes the
division of workforce development of the Texas Workforce Commission to
provide ongoing job retention and reemployment assistance for certain
recipients of public assistance, in an effort to improve the long-term
success of participants in job-training programs.  C.S.S.B. 1262 also
requires the Texas Department of Human Services, in providing work skills
and job readiness training, to emphasize training for sustainable wage
jobs, encourage nontraditional work opportunities for recipients, and
offer micro-enterprise development and selfemployment assistance in areas
in which jobs are scarce.  

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.S.B. 1262 provides for employment and training for
certain persons on public assistance. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 302A, Labor Code, by adding Section 302.003, as
follows: 

Sec. 302.003.  JOB RETENTION AND REEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE.  Authorizes the
division of workforce development of the Texas Workforce Commission
(division) to provide ongoing job retention and reemployment assistance
for a recipient of public assistance who has participated in a job
training program. 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 31.010, Human Resources Code, by amending
Subsection (c), and adding Subsection (f), to include job retention
assistance among support services.  Requires the Texas Department of Human
Services, in providing work skills and job readiness training, to
emphasize training for sustainable wage jobs; promote understanding of
nontraditional work opportunities for recipients; and offer
micro-enterprise development and self-employment assistance in rural areas
and other areas in which jobs are scarce.  Makes conforming changes.   

SECTION 3. Effective date:  September 1, 1997. 

SECTION 4. Emergency clause.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Amends the relating clause to delete the reference to the creation and
operation of a pilot program. 
 Deletes former SECTIONS 1-5, regarding the creation and operation of a
pilot work program for public assistance recipients.   

SECTION 1.

Adds Section 302.003, Labor Code, to authorize the division to provide
ongoing job retention and reemployment assistance for a recipient of
public assistance who has participated in a job training program.   

SECTION 2. 

Amends Section 31.010, Human Resources Code, to include job retention
assistance among support services.  Requires the department to address
certain issues in providing work skills and job readiness training.