AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the establishment of a "wheels for work" pilot program

 1-2     to assist certain recipients of AFDC.

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

 1-4           SECTION 1.  PILOT PROGRAM.  (a)  The Texas Workforce

 1-5     Commission by rule shall develop a "wheels for work" pilot program

 1-6     in four sites to make donated cars available at a low cost to

 1-7     certain persons who receive financial assistance under Chapter 31,

 1-8     Human Resources Code, to enable those persons to find and maintain

 1-9     employment.  The commission shall determine the pilot sites, with

1-10     at least one site in an urban area and at least one site in a rural

1-11     area.

1-12           (b)  In adopting rules under this section, the commission

1-13     shall:

1-14                 (1)  use the Maryland "wheels for work" initiative as a

1-15     model for the pilot program;

1-16                 (2)  ensure that participation in the program is

1-17     limited to persons who have secured employment but are unable to

1-18     accept or retain the employment solely because of a lack of

1-19     transportation;

1-20                 (3)  ensure that a person who donates a car for use in

1-21     the pilot program will receive a charitable donation receipt for

1-22     federal income tax purposes; and

1-23                 (4)  set a timetable to implement and complete the

 2-1     pilot program.

 2-2           (c)  The Texas Department of Human Services shall provide to

 2-3     the commission information as necessary to implement the pilot

 2-4     program and complete the report required by Section 2 of this Act.

 2-5           SECTION 2.  REPORT. Not later than January 15, 2001, the

 2-6     Texas Workforce Commission shall submit to the governor and the

 2-7     77th Legislature a report concerning the effectiveness of the pilot

 2-8     program.

 2-9           SECTION 3.  WAIVER.  If before implementing Section 1 of this

2-10     Act the Texas Workforce Commission or other state agency determines

2-11     that a waiver or authorization from a federal agency is necessary

2-12     for implementation, the agency shall request the waiver or

2-13     authorization and may delay implementing those provisions until the

2-14     waiver or authorization is granted.

2-15           SECTION 4.  EFFECTIVE DATE AND DEADLINES.  (a)  This Act

2-16     takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-17           (b)  The Texas Workforce Commission shall establish the pilot

2-18     program required by this Act not later than January 1, 1998.

2-19           SECTION 5.  EXPIRATION DATE.  This Act expires September 1,

2-20     2001.

2-21           SECTION 6.  EMERGENCY.  The importance of this legislation

2-22     and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-23     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-24     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-25     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1114 passed the Senate on

         April 3, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that

         the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 30, 1997, by a

         viva-voce vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1114 passed the House, with

         amendment, on May 28, 1997, by a non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

         Approved:

         _______________________________

                     Date

         _______________________________

                   Governor