By Zaffirini, et al. S.B. No. 12 76R1110 CLG-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the creation of the welfare reform legislative 1-3 oversight committee. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, is amended by 1-6 adding Subchapter E to read as follows: 1-7 SUBCHAPTER E. LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT 1-8 Sec. 31.081. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "committee" 1-9 means the welfare reform legislative oversight committee. 1-10 Sec. 31.082. COMPOSITION OF COMMITTEE; PRESIDING OFFICER. 1-11 (a) The committee is composed of: 1-12 (1) two members of the senate and one public member 1-13 appointed by the lieutenant governor; and 1-14 (2) two members of the house of representatives and 1-15 one public member appointed by the speaker of the house of 1-16 representatives. 1-17 (b) A member of the committee serves at the will of the 1-18 appointing official. 1-19 (c) The lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of 1-20 representatives, on an alternating basis, shall designate the 1-21 presiding officer of the committee from the membership of the 1-22 committee. The presiding officer serves in that capacity for a 1-23 two-year period expiring February 1 of each odd-numbered year. 1-24 Sec. 31.083. COMMITTEE POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The 2-1 committee shall: 2-2 (1) meet at the call of the presiding officer; 2-3 (2) oversee the implementation of legislation relating 2-4 to welfare reform enacted by the 76th Legislature and future 2-5 legislatures; 2-6 (3) study the effect of federal and state welfare 2-7 reform changes on child care for recipients of financial 2-8 assistance; 2-9 (4) monitor the welfare reform waiver submitted by the 2-10 state under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 2-11 Reconciliation Act of 1996 and the waiver transition for compliance 2-12 with federal law; 2-13 (5) monitor the employment trends for former 2-14 recipients of financial assistance; 2-15 (6) study the effectiveness of incentives, 2-16 transitional benefits, and support services on the prevention of 2-17 recidivism by recipients of financial assistance; 2-18 (7) study the hiring practices of the public and 2-19 private sectors regarding recipients of financial assistance; 2-20 (8) study the effectiveness of job training and 2-21 education programs conducted by local workforce development boards 2-22 for recipients of financial assistance; 2-23 (9) study the effectiveness of the management 2-24 information systems of the department regarding eligibility 2-25 determination and of the Texas Workforce Commission regarding the 2-26 provision of recipient work participation information; and 2-27 (10) study the dissemination to local workforce 3-1 development boards of information regarding eligibility 3-2 determination from the department and regarding recipient work 3-3 participation from the Texas Workforce Commission. 3-4 (b) The committee may request reports and other information 3-5 from the department, the Texas Workforce Commission, and other 3-6 state agencies as necessary to carry out its duties under this 3-7 section. 3-8 (c) The committee shall use the existing staff resources of 3-9 the senate and the house of representatives to assist the committee 3-10 in performing its duties under this section. 3-11 Sec. 31.084. REPORT. Not later than November 15 of each 3-12 even-numbered year, the committee shall report to the governor, 3-13 lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives on 3-14 the results of the committee's activities under Section 31.083. 3-15 The report must include recommendations for legislative action. 3-16 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 3-17 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 3-18 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-19 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-20 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-21 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.