1-1 By: Naishtat, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 1005 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 4, 2001; 1-3 May 7, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Health 1-4 and Human Services; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the 1-5 following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 1; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to the creation of a state program of temporary assistance 1-9 and related support services for needy persons. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 2, Human Resources Code, is 1-12 amended by adding Chapter 34 to read as follows: 1-13 CHAPTER 34. STATE TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT SERVICES 1-14 PROGRAM 1-15 Sec. 34.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: 1-16 (1) "Related support services" means services 1-17 considered under federal law to be a component of money payments 1-18 for purposes of the financial assistance program authorized by 1-19 Chapter 31. 1-20 (2) "Temporary assistance" means money payments for 1-21 needy persons authorized by this chapter. 1-22 Sec. 34.002. DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF STATE 1-23 PROGRAM; FUNDING. (a) The Health and Human Services Commission, 1-24 the department, and the Texas Workforce Commission, with the 1-25 participation of local workforce development boards, shall jointly 1-26 develop and implement a state program of temporary assistance and 1-27 related support services that is distinct from the financial 1-28 assistance program authorized by Chapter 31. 1-29 (b) Temporary assistance and related support services may be 1-30 provided under the state program only to: 1-31 (1) two-parent families; or 1-32 (2) persons residing in minimum service counties, as 1-33 defined by the Texas Workforce Commission. 1-34 (c) Temporary assistance and related support services 1-35 provided under the state program may be funded only with state 1-36 money. 1-37 Sec. 34.003. RULES. (a) The Health and Human Services 1-38 Commission, the department, and the Texas Workforce Commission 1-39 shall adopt all rules necessary for implementation of the state 1-40 program, including rules regarding eligibility, work requirements, 1-41 work exemptions, time limits, and related support services. 1-42 (b) The rules must be designed to result in a state program 1-43 that is substantively identical to the financial assistance program 1-44 authorized by Chapter 31, except to the extent that programmatic 1-45 differences are appropriate because of the populations served by 1-46 those programs and the sources of funding for those programs. 1-47 (c) The Health and Human Services Commission, the 1-48 department, and the Texas Workforce Commission shall form an 1-49 interagency work group to develop the rules required under this 1-50 section. The interagency work group shall provide for 1-51 participation in development of the rules by representatives of 1-52 local workforce development boards. 1-53 Sec. 34.004. PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO PERSONS RESIDING IN 1-54 MINIMUM SERVICE COUNTIES. The Health and Human Services Commission, 1-55 the department, and the Texas Workforce Commission shall develop 1-56 and implement procedures to: 1-57 (1) determine the date on which a person's eligibility 1-58 for temporary assistance and related support services based on 1-59 residency in a minimum service county, as defined by the Texas 1-60 Workforce Commission, will cease as a result of the county's 1-61 reclassification; and 1-62 (2) provide for establishment of that person's 1-63 eligibility for financial assistance and related support services 1-64 under Chapter 31 in a manner that avoids disruption of benefits for 2-1 which the person is eligible. 2-2 Sec. 34.005. ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. A recipient 2-3 of temporary assistance and related support services under the 2-4 state program is eligible for medical assistance under Chapter 32 2-5 in the same manner as a person receiving financial assistance under 2-6 Chapter 31. 2-7 Sec. 34.006. REPORT. The Health and Human Services 2-8 Commission, the department, and the Texas Workforce Commission 2-9 shall monitor implementation and operation of the state program 2-10 and, not later than December 1 of each year, jointly report to the 2-11 governor, the legislature, and the Legislative Budget Board on the 2-12 status and use of the state program. The report required to be 2-13 submitted not later than December 1, 2004, must include: 2-14 (1) an analysis of whether the state program has 2-15 effectively met the goals of the program, including improved 2-16 delivery of services to program recipients; and 2-17 (2) recommendations regarding continuation of the 2-18 program. 2-19 SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 34.006, Human Resources 2-20 Code, as added by this Act, the Health and Human Services 2-21 Commission, the Texas Department of Human Services, and the Texas 2-22 Workforce Commission shall submit the report required by that 2-23 section beginning with the report due not later than December 1, 2-24 2002. 2-25 SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act a 2-26 state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a 2-27 federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, 2-28 the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or 2-29 authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the 2-30 waiver or authorization is granted. 2-31 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 2-32 * * * * *