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.