1-1 By: Zaffirini, Lucio S.B. No. 161 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed December 8, 2000; January 11, 2001, 1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human 1-4 Services; March 12, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote: 1-5 Yeas 8, Nays 0; March 12, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to authorizing transitional support services to former 1-9 recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) 1-10 benefits. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, 1-13 is amended by adding Section 31.00351 to read as follows: 1-14 Sec. 31.00351. TRANSITIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES. (a) In this 1-15 section, "support services" includes: 1-16 (1) transportation assistance; 1-17 (2) emergency assistance; 1-18 (3) job coaches; 1-19 (4) education; 1-20 (5) housing-related assistance; 1-21 (6) assistance in accessing child-care services; and 1-22 (7) other appropriate services designed to support a 1-23 successful transition from public assistance to self-support. 1-24 (b) Subject to the availability of funds, the department and 1-25 the Texas Workforce Commission shall provide transitional support 1-26 services to a person who was receiving financial assistance but is 1-27 no longer eligible to receive the assistance because: 1-28 (1) the person's household income has increased; or 1-29 (2) the person has exhausted the person's benefits 1-30 under Section 31.0065. 1-31 (c) Each agency shall provide the support services that the 1-32 agency determines are necessary and that are appropriate for the 1-33 agency to provide. Each agency shall provide the support services 1-34 in accordance with agency rules and federal law. 1-35 (d) The agencies may provide the support services only until 1-36 the earlier of: 1-37 (1) the end of the applicable period prescribed by 1-38 Section 31.0065 for the provision of transitional benefits; or 1-39 (2) the first anniversary of the date on which the 1-40 person becomes ineligible for financial assistance because of 1-41 increased household income. 1-42 SECTION 2. Subsection (c), Section 31.012, Human Resources 1-43 Code, is amended to read as follows: 1-44 (c) A person who is the caretaker of a physically or 1-45 mentally disabled child who requires the caretaker's presence is 1-46 not required to participate in a program under this section. 1-47 Effective January 1, 2000, a single person who is the caretaker of 1-48 a child is not required to participate in a program under this 1-49 section until the caretaker's youngest child at the time the 1-50 caretaker first became eligible for assistance reaches the age of 1-51 three. Effective September 1, 2000, a single person who is the 1-52 caretaker of a child is exempt until the caretaker's youngest child 1-53 at the time the caretaker first became eligible for assistance 1-54 reaches the age of two. Effective September 1, 2001, a single 1-55 person who is the caretaker of a child is exempt until the 1-56 caretaker's youngest child at the time the caretaker first became 1-57 eligible for assistance reaches the age of one. Notwithstanding 1-58 Sections 31.0035(b) and 32.0255(b), the department shall provide to 1-59 a person who is exempt under this subsection and who voluntarily 1-60 participates in a program under Subsection (a)(2) six months of 1-61 transitional benefits other than transitional support services in 1-62 addition to the applicable limit prescribed by Section 31.0065. 1-63 SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act 1-64 a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a 2-1 federal agency is necessary for implementation, the agency shall 2-2 request the waiver or authorization and may delay implementing that 2-3 provision until the waiver or authorization is granted. 2-4 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and 2-5 applies only to a person who receives financial assistance under 2-6 Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, on or after that date, regardless 2-7 of the date on which eligibility for that assistance was 2-8 determined. 2-9 * * * * *