SRC-JEC S.B. 161 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterS.B. 161 By: Zaffirini Health & Human Services 6/22/2001 Enrolled DIGEST AND PURPOSE Currently, the only benefits received statewide when a person leaves welfare for the workforce are childcare and transitional Medicaid benefits. S.B. 161 expands the transitional services available and requires state agencies dealing with welfare-to-work cases to provide transitional support services for a certain period of time. 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 Chapter 31A, Human Resources Code, by adding Section 31.00351, as follows: Sec. 31.00351. TRANSITIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES. (a) Sets forth a list of certain services included in "support services" for the purposes of this section. (b) Authorizes the Texas Department of Human Services (department) and the Texas Workforce Commission, subject to the availability of funds, to provide transitional support services to a person who was receiving financial assistance but is no longer eligible to receive the assistance because of certain factors. (c) Authorizes each agency to provide the support services that the agency determines are necessary and appropriate, and requires the agency to provide the services in accordance with agency rules and federal law. (d) Authorizes the agencies to provide the support services only until the earlier of: the end of the applicable period prescribed by Section 31.0065 for the provision of transitional benefits; or the first anniversary of the date on which the person becomes ineligible for financial assistance because of increased household income. SECTION 2. Amends Section 31.012(c), Human Resources Code, to require the department, notwithstanding Sections 31.0035(b) and 32.0255(b), to provide to a person who is exempt under this subsection and who voluntarily participates in a program under Subsection (a)(2) six months of transitional benefits, other than transitional support services, in addition to the applicable limit prescribed by Section 31.0065. SECTION 3. Requires a state agency, if before implementing any provision of this Act it determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal agency is necessary for implementation, to request the waiver or authorization and authorizes the state agency to delay implementing that provision until the waiver or authorization is granted. SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2001. Makes application of this Act prospective and applicable only to a person who receives financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code.