By:  Zaffirini, Truan                                   S.B. No. 59

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the assessment of certain recipients of public

 1-2     assistance.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subsection (f), Section 31.0065, Human Resources

 1-5     Code, is amended to read as follows:

 1-6           (f)  If the department is imposing time-limited benefits on

 1-7     an individual, the department shall consider:

 1-8                 (1)  the in-depth assessment of the individual's need

 1-9     that was conducted by the department, provided that if the needs

1-10     assessment indicates discrepancies between a client's self-reported

1-11     educational level and the client's functional abilities, the time

1-12     limits shall be based upon the functional assessment [educational]

1-13     level; and

1-14                 (2)  the prevailing economic and employment conditions

1-15     in the area of the state where the individual resides.

1-16           SECTION 2.  If before implementing a provision of Section

1-17     31.0065, Human Resources Code, as amended by this Act, a state

1-18     agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal

1-19     agency is necessary for implementation, the state agency shall

1-20     request the waiver or authorization and may delay implementing that

1-21     provision until the waiver or authorization is granted.

1-22           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and

1-23     applies only to a person who receives financial assistance under

 2-1     Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, on or after that date and for

 2-2     whom time limits have not been imposed before that date, regardless

 2-3     of the date on which eligibility for that assistance was

 2-4     determined.

 2-5           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-6     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-7     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-8     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-9     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

2-10                          COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1

2-11           Amend S.B. 59 as follows:

2-12           (1)  On page 1, line 9, by striking the word "department" and

2-13     substituting the words "Texas Workforce Commission"

2-14           (2)  Insert Section 2 and renumber the subsequent sections

2-15     appropriately.

2-16           SECTION 2.  Sec. 31.0095.  NEEDS ASSESSMENT.  The Texas

2-17     Workforce Commission [department] shall assist a recipient in

2-18     assessing the particular needs of that recipient and the

2-19     recipient's family upon notification of entry into the JOBS

2-20     program.  The commission [department] and the recipient shall

2-21     develop an employability plan to help the recipient achieve

2-22     independence from public assistance granted to the recipient and

2-23     the recipient's family.  The commission and the department shall

2-24     ensure that the person has registered for work and developed an

2-25     initial employability plan before certification of the person's

 3-1     case.

 3-2                                                              Hilderbran