SRC-JEC, JBJ S.B. 46 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 46
77R501 KKA-FBy: Zaffirini
Health & Human Services
2/26/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Domestic violence can create a barrier to employment as well as be a safety
threat.  As proposed, S.B. 46 requires employees of certain agencies who
deal directly with people seeking or receiving financial assistance to
receive at least four hours of training about family violence.  It also
requires that before the application of a sanction or penalty against a
client of certain agencies, the client must be interviewed to determine if
family violence contributed to the client's situation and if so, the agency
is required to identify the types of services necessary to assist the
individual in entering the workforce. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 31.0322, Human Resources Code, by amending
Subsection (e) and adding Subsections (f), (g), and (h), as follows: 

(e) Requires the Texas Department of Human Services (department), the Texas
Workforce Commission (commission), the Title IV-D agency, and each local
workforce development board (board) to provide not less than four hours of
training regarding family violence to each employee or other person who, on
behalf of the department, commission, agency, or board: 

 _provides information relating to requirements described by Subsection (a)
and the availability of waivers or modifications of those requirements to
an individual seeking or receiving financial assistance; 

 _recommends or grants waivers or modifications authorized by this section
of requirements described by Subsection (a); 

 _recommends or imposes sanctions for noncooperation or noncompliance with
requirements described by Subsection (a); or 

 _assesses employment readiness or provides employment planning or
employment retention services to an individual receiving financial
assistance. 

  (f) Requires the training required by Subsection (e) to include
information relating to: 

 _the potential impact of family violence on the safety of an individual
seeking or receiving financial assistance, and the ability of that
individual to make a successful transition into the workforce; 

 _state laws and agency rules regarding options available to an individual
receiving financial assistance for whom family violence poses a danger or
impediment to attaining  financial independence; and 

 _statewide and local resources available from state and local governmental
agencies and other entities that could assist a victim of family violence
in safely and successfully entering the workforce. 


(g) Requires that a person who has received the training required by
Subsection (e), before the application of a sanction or penalty based on an
individual's failure to cooperate with the department or Title IV-D agency,
as required by Section 31.0031(d)(1), or failure to comply with the work or
participation requirements imposed by Section 31.012, interview the
individual to: 

 _determine whether family violence contributed to the failure; and

 _if so, identify the types of services necessary to assist the individual
in safely and successfully entering the workforce. 
  
SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.