75R10713 KEL-F                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the methods used to extend the period of supported

 1-3     employment for recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy

 1-4     Families.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 31, Human Resources Code,

 1-7     is amended by adding Section 31.043 to read as follows:

 1-8           Sec. 31.043.  FILL-THE-GAP BUDGETING.  (a)  To extend the

 1-9     period of supported employment for families who receive financial

1-10     assistance under this chapter, the department, subject to the

1-11     availability of funds, shall use a form of fill-the-gap budgeting

1-12     or another method under which the department disregards earnings of

1-13     family members who obtain employment while receiving the

1-14     assistance.

1-15           (b)  In this section, "fill-the-gap budgeting" means a system

1-16     of budgeting in which benefits are gradually lowered using a

1-17     percentage of the difference between the standard of need and the

1-18     countable income to calculate the grant benefit.

1-19           SECTION 2.  Sections 7.06(c) and (e), Chapter 655, Acts of

1-20     the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995, are amended to read as

1-21     follows:

1-22           (c)  The department shall report to the governor regarding

1-23     the program's success in assisting families in becoming more

1-24     self-sufficient.  The department shall notify members of the [75th

1-25     and] 76th and 77th legislatures and the standing committees of the

1-26     senate and house of representatives having primary jurisdiction

1-27     over the department of the filing of the report.

 2-1           (e)  This section expires September 1, 2001 [1999].

 2-2           SECTION 3.  The Texas Department of Human Services shall

 2-3     revise the pilot program established by Section 7.06, Chapter 655,

 2-4     Acts of the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995, as necessary

 2-5     to implement statewide the "fill-the-gap budgeting" program

 2-6     prescribed by Section 31.043, Human Resources Code, as added by

 2-7     this Act.

 2-8           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-9           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-10     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-11     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-12     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-13     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.