By: Zaffirini, Truan S.B. No. 60
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to parenting skills training for certain AFDC recipients.
1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-3 SECTION 1. Subsection (d), Section 31.0031, Human Resources
1-4 Code, as added by Section 2.02, Chapter 655, Acts of the 74th
1-5 Legislature, 1995, is amended to read as follows:
1-6 (d) The responsibility agreement shall require that:
1-7 (1) the parent of a dependent child cooperate with the
1-8 department and the Title IV-D agency if necessary to establish the
1-9 paternity of the dependent child and to establish or enforce child
1-10 support;
1-11 (2) if adequate and accessible providers of the
1-12 services are available in the geographic area and subject to the
1-13 availability of funds, each dependent child, as appropriate,
1-14 complete early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment
1-15 checkups on schedule and receive the immunization series prescribed
1-16 by Section 161.004, Health and Safety Code, unless the child is
1-17 exempt under that section;
1-18 (3) each adult recipient, or teen parent recipient who
1-19 has completed the requirements regarding school attendance in
1-20 Subdivision (6), not voluntarily terminate paid employment of at
1-21 least 30 hours each week without good cause in accordance with
1-22 rules adopted by the department;
1-23 (4) each adult recipient for whom a needs assessment
2-1 is conducted participate in an activity to enable that person to
2-2 become self-sufficient by:
2-3 (A) continuing the person's education or
2-4 becoming literate;
2-5 (B) entering a job placement or employment
2-6 skills training program;
2-7 (C) serving as a volunteer in the person's
2-8 community; or
2-9 (D) serving in a community work program or other
2-10 work program approved by the department;
2-11 (5) each caretaker relative or parent receiving
2-12 assistance not use, sell, or possess marihuana or a controlled
2-13 substance in violation of Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, or
2-14 abuse alcohol;
2-15 (6) each dependent child younger than 18 years of age
2-16 or teen parent younger than 19 years of age attend school
2-17 regularly, unless the child has a high school diploma or high
2-18 school equivalency certificate or is specifically exempted from
2-19 school attendance under Section 25.086 [21.033], Education Code;
2-20 (7) each recipient comply with department rules
2-21 regarding proof of school attendance; and
2-22 (8) each recipient attend appropriate parenting skills
2-23 training classes, as determined by the needs assessment.
2-24 SECTION 2. Subsection (b), Section 31.0135, Human Resources
2-25 Code, is amended to read as follows:
3-1 (b) The department shall require that a caretaker relative
3-2 or parent who is receiving assistance under this chapter on behalf
3-3 of a dependent child receive appropriate parenting skills training
3-4 as needed. The training must include one or more components of the
3-5 parenting skills training program that the department determines
3-6 will be useful to the caretaker relative or parent.
3-7 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-8 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-9 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-10 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-11 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-12 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-13 passage, and it is so enacted.