1-1           By:  Zaffirini                                    S.B. No. 59

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed November 12, 1996; January 14, 1997,

 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human

 1-4     Services; February 10, 1997, reported adversely, with favorable

 1-5     Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0;

 1-6     February 10, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 59                    By:  Harris

 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-9                                   AN ACT

1-10     relating to the assessment of certain recipients of public

1-11     assistance.

1-12           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-13           SECTION 1.  Subsection (f), Section 31.0065, Human Resources

1-14     Code, is amended to read as follows:

1-15           (f)  If the department is imposing time-limited benefits on

1-16     an individual, the department shall consider:

1-17                 (1)  the in-depth assessment of the individual's need

1-18     that was conducted by the department, provided that if the needs

1-19     assessment indicates discrepancies between a client's self-reported

1-20     educational level and the client's functional abilities, the time

1-21     limits shall be based upon the functional assessment [educational]

1-22     level; and

1-23                 (2)  the prevailing economic and employment conditions

1-24     in the area of the state where the individual resides.

1-25           SECTION 2.  If before implementing a provision of Section

1-26     31.0065, Human Resources Code, as amended by this Act, a state

1-27     agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal

1-28     agency is necessary for implementation, the state agency shall

1-29     request the waiver or authorization and may delay implementing that

1-30     provision until the waiver or authorization is granted.

1-31           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and

1-32     applies only to a person who receives financial assistance under

1-33     Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, on or after that date and for

1-34     whom time limits have not been imposed before that date, regardless

1-35     of the date on which eligibility for that assistance was

1-36     determined.

1-37           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-38     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-39     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-40     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-41     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

1-42                                  * * * * *