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.