By Christian, et al.                                  H.B. No. 2678

         75R7765 KEL-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to requiring an applicant for Temporary Assistance for

 1-3     Needy Families to provide the Texas Department of Human Services

 1-4     with proof of responsibility for each child for whom the applicant

 1-5     will receive assistance.

 1-6           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-7           SECTION 1.  Section 31.031, Human Resources Code, is amended

 1-8     by adding Subsection (h) to read as follows:

 1-9           (h)  The department shall require the applicant to provide

1-10     the department with proof that the applicant is the custodial

1-11     parent or other adult caretaker relative of each child for whom the

1-12     applicant will receive assistance, if appropriate.  The department

1-13     by rule shall prescribe the types of information constituting

1-14     sufficient proof under this subsection.

1-15           SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only

1-16     to an application for assistance filed on or after the effective

1-17     date of this Act.  An application for assistance filed before the

1-18     effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when

1-19     the application was filed, and the former law is continued in

1-20     effect for that purpose.

1-21           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-22           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-23     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-24     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-1     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

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