1-1     By:  Ellis                                             S.B. No. 343
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed February 2, 1999; February 3, 1999,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Human Services;
 1-4     March 3, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 5,
 1-5     Nays 0; March 3, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the creation of the self-sufficiency fund to develop
 1-9     job training for certain recipients of Temporary Assistance for
1-10     Needy Families.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 4, Labor Code, is amended by
1-13     adding Chapter 309 to read as follows:
1-14                     CHAPTER 309.  SELF-SUFFICIENCY FUND
1-15           Sec. 309.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
1-16                 (1)  "Community-based organization" means a private
1-17     nonprofit organization that is representative of a community or a
1-18     significant segment of a community and that provides education,
1-19     vocational education or rehabilitation, job training, or internship
1-20     services or programs.  The term includes a neighborhood group or
1-21     organization, community action agency, community development
1-22     corporation, union-related organization, employer-related
1-23     organization, faith-based organization, tribal government, or
1-24     organization serving Native Americans.
1-25                 (2)  "Fund" means the self-sufficiency fund created
1-26     under Section 309.002.
1-27           Sec. 309.002.  SELF-SUFFICIENCY FUND.  (a)  Subject to the
1-28     availability of funds, the self-sufficiency fund is created as an
1-29     account in the general revenue fund for use by public community and
1-30     technical colleges, community-based organizations, and state
1-31     extension agencies to develop for certain recipients of financial
1-32     assistance under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, customized
1-33     job-training programs in which the recipients will be provided job
1-34     training by:
1-35                 (1)  an entity that develops a job-training program
1-36     under this section;
1-37                 (2)  a small or medium-sized business or trade union;
1-38     or
1-39                 (3)  an informal partnership between an entity that
1-40     develops a job-training program under this section and a small or
1-41     medium-sized business network or consortium.
1-42           (b)  Money from the fund may also be used for support
1-43     services as necessary for participants to prepare for and
1-44     participate in training activities and to make the transition from
1-45     training activities to employment.
1-46           (c)  The commission shall administer the fund.  The executive
1-47     director, or a person appointed by the executive director who is
1-48     knowledgeable in the administration of grants, is responsible for
1-49     the distribution of money from the fund.
1-50           (d)  To the greatest extent practicable, money from the fund
1-51     shall be spent in all areas of the state.
1-52           Sec. 309.003.  JOB-TRAINING PROGRAMS.  (a)  A job-training
1-53     program financed by the fund:
1-54                 (1)  must be specifically designed to:
1-55                       (A)  ensure that participants meet applicable
1-56     state and federal work requirements;
1-57                       (B)  enable participants to find and apply for
1-58     existing jobs; and
1-59                       (C)  include the involvement of employers who
1-60     provide assistance in setting curricula and standards for
1-61     job-training programs developed with money from the fund and are
1-62     committed to hiring graduates of the programs; and
1-63                 (2)  is considered a work or employment activity for
1-64     purposes of Section 31.012, Human Resources Code.
 2-1           (b)  An entity that receives money from the fund for a
 2-2     job-training program shall work in conjunction with employers to
 2-3     place graduates of the program in positions of employment in which
 2-4     the graduates will be earning wages sufficient to enable the
 2-5     graduates to become independent of financial assistance under
 2-6     Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, and if applicable, assistance
 2-7     provided under the food stamp program administered by the Texas
 2-8     Department of Human Services under Chapter 33, Human Resources
 2-9     Code.
2-10           Sec. 309.004.  RULEMAKING AUTHORITY.  The commission shall
2-11     adopt rules to implement this chapter, including rules to determine
2-12     which recipients of financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human
2-13     Resources Code, are eligible to participate in job-training
2-14     programs developed with money from the fund.
2-15           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-16           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-17     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-18     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-19     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-20     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
2-21                                  * * * * *