By Zaffirini                                            S.B. No. 13
         76R1109 CLG-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the consideration of income earned by certain
 1-3     recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits for
 1-4     eligibility determination purposes.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, is amended by
 1-7     adding Section 31.0038 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 31.0038.  EARNED INCOME DISREGARDS FOR EMPLOYMENT.  (a)
 1-9     If an adult recipient of financial assistance becomes employed
1-10     while receiving the assistance, the department may not consider a
1-11     significant portion of any earned income received by the recipient
1-12     during the first four months of employment for purposes of
1-13     determining:
1-14                 (1)  the amount of financial assistance granted to an
1-15     individual for the support of dependent children; or
1-16                 (2)  whether the family meets household income and
1-17     resource requirements for financial assistance.
1-18           (b)  In adopting rules under this section, the department
1-19     shall:
1-20                 (1)  prescribe the portion of a recipient's income, not
1-21     to exceed 90 percent, that the department may not consider;
1-22                 (2)  ensure that this section applies only to
1-23     recipients who earn income in an amount that does not exceed the
1-24     maximum gross income limit set by the department under Section
 2-1     31.003; and
 2-2                 (3)  consider in determining the amount to be
 2-3     disregarded under Subsection (a) the total amount the department
 2-4     estimates to be available to provide financial assistance to
 2-5     eligible recipients.
 2-6           SECTION 2.  If before implementing any provision of this Act,
 2-7     a state agency determines that a waiver or other  authorization
 2-8     from a federal agency is necessary for implementation, the
 2-9     department shall request the waiver or authorization and may delay
2-10     implementing that provision until the waiver or authorization is
2-11     granted.
2-12           SECTION 3.  The change in law made by Section 31.0038, Human
2-13     Resources Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a person who
2-14     receives financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human Resources
2-15     Code, on or after the effective date of this Act, regardless of the
2-16     date on which eligibility for the financial assistance was
2-17     determined.
2-18           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-19           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.