By Raymond, Naishtat H.B. No. 1175 77R10165 KKA-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to minimum training regarding family violence for certain 1-3 state employees and other persons administering the financial 1-4 assistance program and to identification of and services for 1-5 certain victims of family violence. 1-6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-7 SECTION 1. Section 31.0322, Human Resources Code, is amended 1-8 by amending Subsection (e) and adding Subsections (f), (g), and (h) 1-9 to read as follows: 1-10 (e) The department, the Texas Workforce Commission, the 1-11 Title IV-D agency, and each local workforce development board, 1-12 using existing resources, shall provide not less than four hours of 1-13 training regarding family violence to each employee or other person 1-14 who on behalf of the department, commission, agency, or board: 1-15 (1) provides information relating to requirements 1-16 described by Subsection (a) and the availability of waivers or 1-17 modifications of those requirements to an individual seeking or 1-18 receiving financial assistance; 1-19 (2) recommends or grants waivers or modifications 1-20 authorized by this section of requirements described by Subsection 1-21 (a); 1-22 (3) recommends or imposes sanctions for noncooperation 1-23 or noncompliance with requirements described by Subsection (a); or 1-24 (4) assesses employment readiness or provides 2-1 employment planning or employment retention services to an 2-2 individual receiving financial assistance. 2-3 (f) The training required by Subsection (e) must: 2-4 (1) be developed in collaboration with at least one 2-5 organization with expertise in family violence issues; and 2-6 (2) include information relating to: 2-7 (A) the potential impact of family violence on: 2-8 (i) the safety of an individual seeking or 2-9 receiving financial assistance; and 2-10 (ii) the ability of that individual to 2-11 make a successful transition into the workforce; 2-12 (B) state laws and agency rules regarding 2-13 options available to an individual receiving financial assistance 2-14 for whom family violence poses a danger or impediment to attaining 2-15 financial independence; and 2-16 (C) statewide and local resources available from 2-17 state and local governmental agencies and other entities that could 2-18 assist a victim of family violence in safely and successfully 2-19 entering the workforce. 2-20 (g) Before the application of a sanction or penalty based on 2-21 an individual's failure to cooperate with the department or Title 2-22 IV-D agency, as required by Section 31.0031(d)(1), or failure to 2-23 comply with the work or participation requirements imposed by 2-24 Section 31.012, the agency recommending or applying the sanction or 2-25 penalty must make reasonable attempts to contact the individual to 2-26 determine the cause of the failure to cooperate or comply. If the 2-27 agency determines that family violence contributed to the failure, 3-1 the agency shall ensure that a person trained in family violence 3-2 issues in accordance with Subsection (e) interviews the individual 3-3 to identify the types of services necessary to assist the 3-4 individual in safely and successfully entering the workforce. 3-5 (h) In this section: 3-6 (1) "Family violence" has the meaning assigned by 3-7 Section 71.004, Family Code. 3-8 (2) "Title IV-D agency" has the meaning assigned by 3-9 Section 101.033, Family Code. 3-10 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.