1-1     By:  Ellis, et al.                                     S.B. No. 951

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 5, 1997; March 10, 1997, read

 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental

 1-4     Relations; April 1, 1997, reported favorably, as amended, by the

 1-5     following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0; April 1, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6     COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1                             By:  Gallegos

 1-7     Amend S.B. No. 951 on page 1, line 17, by striking the word

 1-8     "public".

 1-9                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

1-10                                   AN ACT

1-11     relating to the coordination of tenant services programs.

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

1-13           SECTION 1.  Subchapter K, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is

1-14     amended by adding Section 2306.253 to read as follows:

1-15           Sec. 2306.253.  TENANT SERVICES PROGRAM.  (a)  In this

1-16     section, "tenant services" means social services, including child

1-17     care, transportation, and basic adult education, that are provided

1-18     to individuals residing in low-income public housing under Title

1-19     IV-A, Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section 601 et seq.), and

1-20     other similar services.

1-21           (b)  The department shall structure the requirements for the

1-22     provision of tenant services so that tenant services provided

1-23     through housing programs are coordinated with similar services

1-24     provided through state workforce development and welfare programs.

1-25     The department shall emphasize tenant services that are eligible

1-26     for additional federal matching funds through workforce development

1-27     or welfare-related programs.

1-28           (c)  The department shall designate a department employee as

1-29     the tenant services program coordinator.  The coordinator shall

1-30     serve as a liaison to the Texas Workforce Commission, the Texas

1-31     Department of Human Services, the Department of Protective and

1-32     Regulatory Services, and the Legislative Budget Board on matters

1-33     relating to the coordination of tenant services programs.

1-34           (d)  The coordinator shall meet in Austin at least quarterly

1-35     with representatives of the Texas Workforce Commission, the Texas

1-36     Department of Human Services, the Department of Protective and

1-37     Regulatory Services, and the Legislative Budget Board to:

1-38                 (1)  update coordination of tenant services with

1-39     workforce development and welfare-related programs;

1-40                 (2)  discuss funding sources for tenant services

1-41     programs; and

1-42                 (3)  report on the status of tenant services programs,

1-43     including reporting on the number of clients and types of services

1-44     offered.

1-45           (e)  Not later than December 1 preceding a regular session of

1-46     the legislature, the department shall file with the appropriate

1-47     state agencies and legislative committees a report discussing the

1-48     results of the department's program under this section.

1-49           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-50     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-51     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-52     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-53     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-54     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-55     passage, and it is so enacted.

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