1-1 By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 666
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed February 24, 1999; February 25, 1999,
1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Human Services;
1-4 April 29, 1999, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; April 29, 1999,
1-6 sent to printer.)
1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 666 By: Zaffirini
1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-9 AN ACT
1-10 relating to exemptions from work or employment activity
1-11 participation requirements for certain Temporary Assistance for
1-12 Needy Families (TANF) recipients.
1-13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-14 SECTION 1. Section 31.012, Human Resources Code, is amended
1-15 by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (f) to read as
1-16 follows:
1-17 (c) A person who is the caretaker of a physically or
1-18 mentally disabled child who requires the caretaker's presence is
1-19 not required to participate in a program under this section.
1-20 Effective January 1, 2000, a single custodial parent [September 1,
1-21 1995, a person] is not required to participate in a program under
1-22 this section until the parent's [person's] youngest child at the
1-23 time the parent [person] first became eligible for assistance
1-24 reaches the age of three [five]. Effective September 1, 2000
1-25 [1997], a single custodial parent [person] is exempt until the
1-26 parent's [person's] youngest child at the time the parent [person]
1-27 first became eligible for assistance reaches the age of two [four].
1-28 Effective September 1, 2001, a single custodial parent is exempt
1-29 until the parent's youngest child at the time the parent first
1-30 became eligible for assistance reaches the age of one.
1-31 Notwithstanding Sections 31.0035(b) and 32.0255(b), the department
1-32 shall provide to a person who is exempt under this subsection and
1-33 who voluntarily participates in a program under Subsection (a)(2)
1-34 six months of transitional benefits in addition to the applicable
1-35 limit prescribed by Section 31.0065.
1-36 (f) In this section, "custodial parent" means the parent of
1-37 a child with whom the child primarily resides, including a parent
1-38 who has been appointed under a court order as sole managing
1-39 conservator or joint managing conservator of the child.
1-40 SECTION 2. Before implementing any provision of Subsection
1-41 (c), Section 31.012, Human Resources Code, as amended by this Act,
1-42 the Texas Department of Human Services shall work in conjunction
1-43 with the Texas Workforce Commission or a local workforce
1-44 development board, as appropriate, to develop and implement a
1-45 client education effort targeted at clients affected by the changes
1-46 to that section. The department shall inform each client whose
1-47 exemption status is affected of the pending change, the timeline
1-48 for the change, and the effect of the change on the client's work
1-49 requirements and time limits.
1-50 SECTION 3. If, before implementing any provision of
1-51 Subsection (c), Section 31.012, Human Resources Code, as amended by
1-52 this Act, a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization
1-53 from a federal agency is necessary for implementation, the agency
1-54 shall request the waiver or authorization and may delay
1-55 implementing that provision until the waiver or authorization is
1-56 granted.
1-57 SECTION 4. Notwithstanding Subsection (c), Section 31.012,
1-58 Human Resources Code, as amended by this Act, a person receiving
1-59 financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, on
1-60 December 31, 1999, remains subject to the exemptions from
1-61 participation in work or employment activity requirements under
1-62 Subsection (c), Section 31.012, Human Resources Code, as it existed
1-63 immediately before the effective date of this Act, until the
1-64 person's first recertification date that occurs on or after January
2-1 1, 2000.
2-2 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-3 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
2-4 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-5 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-6 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-7 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
2-8 * * * * *