77R12105 KKA-D
By Naishtat H.B. No. 1004
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1004:
By Naishtat C.S.H.B. No. 1004
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the work or employment activities required under the
1-3 temporary assistance for needy families program.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 301, Labor Code, is amended
1-6 by adding Section 301.0675 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 301.0675. WORK OR EMPLOYMENT ACTIVITIES FOR RECIPIENTS
1-8 OF TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES. (a) The commission by
1-9 rule shall determine the work or employment activities in which a
1-10 person must participate to comply with Section 31.012, Human
1-11 Resources Code.
1-12 (b) In adopting rules under this section, the commission
1-13 shall provide for a broad array of permissible work or employment
1-14 activities designed to:
1-15 (1) assist a person in entering the workforce and
1-16 becoming self-supporting;
1-17 (2) address and remove any barrier that prevents a
1-18 person from entering the workforce and becoming self-supporting;
1-19 and
1-20 (3) exercise all flexibility in permissible work or
1-21 employment activities authorized by federal law.
1-22 (c) The rules must provide for at least the following
1-23 permissible work or employment activities:
1-24 (1) unsubsidized employment;
2-1 (2) subsidized private or public sector employment;
2-2 (3) work experience, including work associated with
2-3 the refurbishing of publicly assisted housing;
2-4 (4) on-the-job training;
2-5 (5) job search and job readiness assistance, including
2-6 activities designed to address and remove barriers to employment,
2-7 such as counseling and other services relating to mental health,
2-8 substance abuse, or family violence;
2-9 (6) participation in a community service program,
2-10 including the VISTA program;
2-11 (7) participation in educational activities,
2-12 including:
2-13 (A) attendance in an elementary, secondary,
2-14 postsecondary, vocational, or technical school;
2-15 (B) attendance in a program leading to a high
2-16 school equivalency certificate;
2-17 (C) attendance in an adult education or literacy
2-18 program; and
2-19 (D) receipt of instruction in English as a
2-20 second language;
2-21 (8) training in job skills that are directly related
2-22 to employment;
2-23 (9) the provision of child-care services to a person
2-24 participating in a community service program; and
2-25 (10) another activity described by Section 31.0125,
2-26 31.0126, or 31.0135, Human Resources Code.
2-27 (d) The commission shall permit a person younger than 20
3-1 years of age to comply with Section 31.012, Human Resources Code,
3-2 through participating solely in full-time educational activities
3-3 authorized by Subsection (c)(7) for an unlimited amount of time.
3-4 (e) The commission, the Texas Department of Human Services,
3-5 and the local workforce development boards shall perform agency and
3-6 board duties related to requiring compliance with the work or
3-7 employment activities requirements imposed by Section 31.012, Human
3-8 Resources Code, in the least intrusive manner possible so that a
3-9 person engaging in permissible work or employment activities:
3-10 (1) is not required to attend agency or board
3-11 appointments or take other action that interferes with the person's
3-12 work or employment activities; and
3-13 (2) is provided with appropriate information regarding
3-14 available employment services that the person may access without
3-15 interfering with the person's work or employment activities.
3-16 SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act a
3-17 state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
3-18 federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
3-19 the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
3-20 authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
3-21 waiver or authorization is granted.
3-22 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and
3-23 applies to a person receiving financial assistance under Chapter
3-24 31, Human Resources Code, on or after that date, regardless of the
3-25 date on which eligibility for financial assistance was determined.