By Zaffirini                                    S.B. No. 1067

      75R8407 SAW-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to assistance for certain legal immigrants.

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

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Chapter 22, Human Resources Code, is amended by

 1-5     adding Section 22.032 to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 22.032.  ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN LEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

 1-7     (a)  The department by rule shall develop a grant program to assist

 1-8     legal immigrants who are ineligible for public assistance benefits

 1-9     solely because of their immigration status.

1-10           (b)  Subject to availability of funds, the program shall

1-11     provide grants for:

1-12                 (1)  temporary housing and nutritional assistance;

1-13                 (2)  assistance in completing the application for

1-14     United States citizenship and in preparing for the citizenship

1-15     examination; and

1-16                 (3)  instruction in English as a second language.

1-17           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-18           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-19     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-20     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-21     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-22     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.