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.