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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to mandatory participation in certain TANF employment and |
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other programs by certain persons. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 31.0031(a) and (d), Human Resources |
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Code, as amended by S.B. No. 219, Acts of the 84th Legislature, |
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Regular Session, 2015, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The commission shall require each adult recipient and |
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nonrecipient parent to sign a bill of responsibilities that defines |
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the responsibilities of the state and of the recipient or |
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nonrecipient parent, as applicable, and encourages personal |
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responsibility. The commission shall explain to the applicant the |
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work requirements and time-limited benefits in addition to the |
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other provisions of the agreement before the applicant signs the |
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agreement. The commission shall provide each applicant with a copy |
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of the signed agreement. The agreement shall include pertinent |
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case information, including the case number and a listing of the |
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state's benefits. |
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(d) The responsibility agreement shall require that: |
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(1) the parent of a dependent child cooperate with the |
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commission and the Title IV-D agency if necessary to establish the |
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paternity of the dependent child and to establish or enforce child |
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support; |
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(2) if adequate and accessible providers of the |
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services are available in the geographic area and subject to the |
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availability of funds, each dependent child, as appropriate, |
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complete early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment |
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checkups on schedule and receive the immunization series prescribed |
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by Section 161.004, Health and Safety Code, unless the child is |
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exempt under that section; |
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(3) each adult recipient, or teen parent recipient who |
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has completed the requirements regarding school attendance in |
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Subdivision (6), not voluntarily terminate paid employment of at |
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least 30 hours each week without good cause in accordance with rules |
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adopted by the executive commissioner; |
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(4) each adult recipient for whom a needs assessment |
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is conducted participate in an activity to enable that person to |
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become self-sufficient by: |
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(A) continuing the person's education or |
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becoming literate; |
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(B) entering a job placement or employment skills |
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training program; |
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(C) serving as a volunteer in the person's |
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community; or |
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(D) serving in a community work program or other |
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work program approved by the commission; |
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(5) each caretaker relative or parent receiving |
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assistance not use, sell, or possess marihuana or a controlled |
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substance in violation of Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, or |
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abuse alcohol; |
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(6) each dependent child younger than 18 years of age |
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or teen parent younger than 19 years of age attend school regularly, |
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unless the child has a high school diploma or high school |
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equivalency certificate or is specifically exempted from school |
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attendance under Section 25.086, Education Code; |
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(7) each recipient comply with commission rules |
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regarding proof of school attendance; [and] |
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(8) each recipient or nonrecipient parent, as |
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applicable, attend appropriate parenting skills training classes, |
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as determined by a [the] needs assessment; and |
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(9) each nonrecipient parent, other than a |
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nonrecipient parent exempt from the requirements, including a |
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nonrecipient parent subject to Section 31.012(c) or (g), satisfy |
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mandatory employment or employment training requirements under |
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Section 31.012. |
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SECTION 2. Section 31.012, Human Resources Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsection (a), as amended by S.B. No. 219, Acts of the |
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84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, and adding Subsection (g) |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The Health and Human Services Commission shall require |
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that, during any one-month period in which an adult is receiving or |
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the child of a nonrecipient parent is receiving financial |
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assistance under this chapter, the adult or nonrecipient parent, as |
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applicable, shall during that period: |
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(1) work not less than 30 hours a week; or |
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(2) participate for not less than 20 hours a week in an |
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activity established under a Temporary Assistance for Needy |
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Families employment program established under Part A, Subchapter |
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IV, Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section 601 et seq.). |
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(g) A nonrecipient parent who receives Supplemental |
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Security Income (SSI) benefits under 42 U.S.C. Section 1381 et seq. |
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is not subject to the requirements of this section. The Texas |
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Workforce Commission may provide services to the nonrecipient |
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parent under this chapter in accordance with rules adopted by the |
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executive commissioner. |
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SECTION 3. Section 31.0126(c), Human Resources Code, as |
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amended by S.B. No. 219, Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2015, is amended to read as follows: |
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(c) In adopting rules governing a program prescribed by this |
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section, the executive commissioner shall: |
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(1) establish [the] criteria consistent with this |
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chapter for determining which recipients and nonrecipient parents |
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who are eligible to participate in the Temporary Assistance for |
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Needy Families employment programs established under Part A, |
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Subchapter IV, Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section 601 et seq.), |
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may be required to participate in a particular program; and |
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(2) ensure that a recipient or a nonrecipient parent |
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who is incapable of participating in a particular program is not |
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required to participate in that program. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 31.0135(a) and (b), Human Resources |
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Code, as amended by S.B. No. 219, Acts of the 84th Legislature, |
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Regular Session, 2015, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The commission, in cooperation with the Texas Education |
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Agency, the Department of Family and Protective Services, the Texas |
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A&M AgriLife Extension Service, or any other public or private |
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entity, shall develop a parenting skills training program to assist |
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a recipient of assistance under this chapter, including a child who |
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receives assistance on behalf of a dependent child, and a |
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nonrecipient parent. The program shall include nutrition |
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education, budgeting and survival skills, and instruction on the |
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necessity of physical and emotional safety for children. |
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(b) The commission shall require that a caretaker relative |
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or parent who is receiving assistance under this chapter on behalf |
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of a dependent child, including a nonrecipient parent, receive |
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appropriate parenting skills training as needed. The training must |
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include one or more components of the parenting skills training |
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program that the commission determines will be useful to the |
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caretaker relative or parent. |
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SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a |
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person receiving financial assistance, including a nonrecipient |
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parent, as defined by Section 31.0021, Human Resources Code, on or |
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after the effective date of this Act, regardless of the date the |
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determination of eligibility for that assistance was made. |
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SECTION 6. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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waiver or authorization is granted. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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