By:  Ellis, West, Zaffirini                           S.B. No. 1262

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the provision of employment and training for certain

 1-2     persons on public assistance.

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

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is amended

 1-5     by adding Section 302.003 to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 302.003.  JOB RETENTION AND REEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE.

 1-7     The division may provide ongoing job retention and reemployment

 1-8     assistance for a recipient of public assistance who has

 1-9     participated in a job training program.

1-10           SECTION 2.  Section 31.010, Human Resources Code, is amended

1-11     by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (f) to read as

1-12     follows:

1-13           (c)  Support services include:

1-14                 (1)  education, using public or private schools as

1-15     necessary;

1-16                 (2)  child care;

1-17                 (3)  transportation assistance;

1-18                 (4)  work skills and job readiness training;

1-19                 (5)  instruction in job search techniques; [and]

1-20                 (6)  job placement; and

1-21                 (7)  job retention assistance.

1-22           (f)  In providing work skills and job readiness training, the

1-23     department shall:

 2-1                 (1)  emphasize training for sustainable wage jobs;

 2-2                 (2)  promote understanding of nontraditional work

 2-3     opportunities for recipients; and

 2-4                 (3)  offer micro-enterprise development and

 2-5     self-employment assistance in rural areas and other areas in which

 2-6     jobs are scarce.

 2-7           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-8           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-9     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-10     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-11     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-12     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.