BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                                      S.B. 1042

80R8129 UM-D                                                                                                      By: West, Royce

Health & Human Services

3/21/2007

As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The 76th Legislature enacted S.B. 1423 to provide supplemental financial assistance to persons serving as primary caretakers for their grandchildren.  Since the inception of the grandparents program in November 1999, more than 13,618 grandparent households and more than 24,826 grandchildren in Texas have benefited from a one-time payment.  The 77th Legislature passed S.B. 297 to allow grandparents caring for their grandchildren to receive a one-time payment of $1,000 to offset the cost of extra beds, furniture, clothing, and other necessities. S.B. 297 also increased the eligible income limit from 100 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) to 200 percent of the FPL and lowered the age requirement from 50 years to 45 years.  Since 1999, $13,618,000 has been paid in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families grants to these grandparents.

Grandparents have traditionally intervened when a crisis occurs in the family, especially when the preservation of the family is threatened.  In fiscal year 2006, Child Protective Services placed 1,213 children in the homes of 669 grandparents and referred them to the Health and Human Services Commission for services through the program.  According to the Department of Family and Protective Services, if these children had been in foster care, the cost would have been more than $9.9 million.

As proposed, S.B. 1042 increases the one-time stipend for grandparent households from $1,000 to $1,500.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 31.0041(b), Human Resources Code, to increase the maximum supplemental financial assistance authorized to be provided to a person under this section (Supplemental Financial Assistance For Certain Persons) from $1,000 to $1,500.

SECTION 2.  Authorizes a state agency to delay implementing a provision of this Act until a requested federal waiver or authorization necessary to implement that provision is granted.

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2007.