1-1     By:  Hilderbran (Senate Sponsor - Ellis)             H.C.R. No. 204

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 13, 1997;

 1-3     May 14, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on Economic

 1-4     Development; May 18, 1997, reported favorably by the following

 1-5     vote:  Yeas 10, Nays 0; May 18, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                         HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-7           WHEREAS, Work is the only sure path to self-sufficiency and

 1-8     self-reliance; and

 1-9           WHEREAS, The purpose of Temporary Assistance to Needy

1-10     Families (TANF) is to create job opportunities for employable

1-11     people that offer the chance to work toward independence from

1-12     government assistance; and

1-13           WHEREAS, Helping unemployed welfare job applicants to find

1-14     and retain a job is the state's top priority in administering TANF;

1-15     and

1-16           WHEREAS, Subsidized work programs convert cash and food stamp

1-17     benefits into employment subsidies and provide welfare recipients

1-18     with the paid work experience necessary to get a good job; in

1-19     addition, these work programs embody local control and

1-20     public-private partnerships in developing jobs; and

1-21           WHEREAS, For unemployed applicants receiving temporary public

1-22     assistance, the subsidized work program can provide skills

1-23     assessment, one-on-one mentoring by experienced workers, job

1-24     placement, basic workplace training, and a new opportunity for

1-25     self-reliance; and

1-26           WHEREAS, Everyone benefits from reduced welfare dependency;

1-27     now, therefore, be it

1-28           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

1-29     hereby direct the Texas Workforce Commission, with assistance from

1-30     the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and the Texas

1-31     Department of Human Services, to implement a subsidized work

1-32     program for unemployed job applicants receiving cash benefits from

1-33     the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program; and, be it

1-34     further

1-35           RESOLVED, That local workforce development boards develop

1-36     guidelines for setting placement priorities and determine the

1-37     number of applicants that may be assigned by the program to any one

1-38     employer based on workforce needs and area demographics; and, be it

1-39     further

1-40           RESOLVED, That the Texas Workforce Commission serve as a

1-41     resource to local workforce boards in implementing a subsidized

1-42     work program and review the program quarterly; and, be it further

1-43           RESOLVED, That the Texas Workforce Commission submit a full

1-44     report on program effectiveness to the governor and to the 76th

1-45     Legislature when that legislature convenes in January 1999; and, be

1-46     it further

1-47           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official

1-48     copy of this resolution to the executive director of the Texas

1-49     Workforce Commission.

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