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.