By: Zaffirini, Lucio S.B. No. 161
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to authorizing transitional support services to former
1-3 recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
1-4 benefits.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Human Resources Code,
1-7 is amended by adding Section 31.00351 to read as follows:
1-8 Sec. 31.00351. TRANSITIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES. (a) In this
1-9 section, "support services" includes:
1-10 (1) transportation assistance;
1-11 (2) emergency assistance;
1-12 (3) job coaches;
1-13 (4) education;
1-14 (5) housing-related assistance;
1-15 (6) assistance in accessing child-care services; and
1-16 (7) other appropriate services designed to support a
1-17 successful transition from public assistance to self-support.
1-18 (b) Subject to the availability of funds, the department and
1-19 the Texas Workforce Commission shall provide transitional support
1-20 services to a person who was receiving financial assistance but is
1-21 no longer eligible to receive the assistance because:
1-22 (1) the person's household income has increased; or
1-23 (2) the person has exhausted the person's benefits
1-24 under Section 31.0065.
1-25 (c) Each agency shall provide the support services that the
2-1 agency determines are necessary and that are appropriate for the
2-2 agency to provide. Each agency shall provide the support services
2-3 in accordance with agency rules and federal law.
2-4 (d) The agencies may provide the support services only until
2-5 the earlier of:
2-6 (1) the end of the applicable period prescribed by
2-7 Section 31.0065 for the provision of transitional benefits; or
2-8 (2) the first anniversary of the date on which the
2-9 person becomes ineligible for financial assistance because of
2-10 increased household income.
2-11 SECTION 2. Subsection (c), Section 31.012, Human Resources
2-12 Code, is amended to read as follows:
2-13 (c) A person who is the caretaker of a physically or
2-14 mentally disabled child who requires the caretaker's presence is
2-15 not required to participate in a program under this section.
2-16 Effective January 1, 2000, a single person who is the caretaker of
2-17 a child is not required to participate in a program under this
2-18 section until the caretaker's youngest child at the time the
2-19 caretaker first became eligible for assistance reaches the age of
2-20 three. Effective September 1, 2000, a single person who is the
2-21 caretaker of a child is exempt until the caretaker's youngest child
2-22 at the time the caretaker first became eligible for assistance
2-23 reaches the age of two. Effective September 1, 2001, a single
2-24 person who is the caretaker of a child is exempt until the
2-25 caretaker's youngest child at the time the caretaker first became
2-26 eligible for assistance reaches the age of one. Notwithstanding
3-1 Sections 31.0035(b) and 32.0255(b), the department shall provide to
3-2 a person who is exempt under this subsection and who voluntarily
3-3 participates in a program under Subsection (a)(2) six months of
3-4 transitional benefits other than transitional support services in
3-5 addition to the applicable limit prescribed by Section 31.0065.
3-6 SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act
3-7 a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
3-8 federal agency is necessary for implementation, the agency shall
3-9 request the waiver or authorization and may delay implementing that
3-10 provision until the waiver or authorization is granted.
3-11 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and
3-12 applies only to a person who receives financial assistance under
3-13 Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, on or after that date, regardless
3-14 of the date on which eligibility for that assistance was
3-15 determined.