By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 45 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to hardship exemptions from federal time limits 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 A, Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, 1-6 is amended by adding Section 31.0066 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 31.0066. HARDSHIP EXEMPTIONS FROM FEDERAL TIME LIMITS. 1-8 (a) The department, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the Health 1-9 and Human Services Commission shall jointly adopt rules prescribing 1-10 circumstances that constitute a hardship for purposes of exempting 1-11 a recipient of financial assistance from the application of time 1-12 limits imposed by federal law on the receipt of benefits. 1-13 (b) The rules must include a broad range of circumstances 1-14 that reasonably prevent recipients of financial assistance from 1-15 becoming self-supporting before expiration of the period specified 1-16 by federal law. 1-17 SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act 1-18 a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a 1-19 federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, 1-20 the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or 1-21 authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the 1-22 waiver or authorization is granted. 1-23 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and 1-24 applies to a person receiving financial assistance on or after that 1-25 date regardless of the date on which the person began receiving 2-1 that financial assistance.