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. 1-50 * * * * *