SRC-MKV C.S.S.B. 297 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 297
77R5023 KLA-DBy: West, Royce
Health & Human Services
4/7/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)

DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau's March 1996 Current Population Survey,
about 4 million children nationwide lived in a grandparent's home, nearly
double the 2.3 million who did so in 1980. With the passage of S.B. 1423 by
the 76th Legislature and the inception of the Grandparents Program, more
than 4,400 grandparent households and more than 8,000 grandchildren in
Texas have benefitted from the one-time payment of $1,000 as of January 29,
2001. C.S.S.B. 297 increases the income limit from 100 percent of the
federal poverty level to 200 percent, which would provide supplemental
financial assistance to additional grandparents who care for their
grandchildren.  This bill will allow thousands of children to remain in the
care of grandparents and offer them an alternative to the foster care
system. 

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 31.0041(a), Human Resources Code, to change
eligibility requirements for supplemental financial assistance for the
support of a dependent child by the Texas Department of Human Services to a
person who is 45, rather than 50, years of age, and from a family whose
income is at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level to one that
is 200 percent of the federal poverty level. 

SECTION 2.  Requires that, if before implementing any provision of this Act
a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal
agency is necessary for implementation, the state agency request the waiver
or authorization and authorizes implementation of that provision until the
waiver or authorization is granted. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Differs from original in SECTION 1 by changing the minimum age requirement
for a person to receive financial assistance to support a dependent child
from 50 to 45 years of age, and changing maximum permissible family income
from one that is at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level to
one that is at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.