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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a pilot program for assisting certain recipients of |
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public benefits to gain permanent self-sufficiency. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 531.02241 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 531.02241. PILOT PROGRAM FOR SELF-SUFFICIENCY OF |
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CERTAIN PERSONS RECEIVING TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES |
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BENEFITS OR OTHER SERVICES. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Financial assistance benefits" means money |
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payments under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) |
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program authorized by Chapter 31, Human Resources Code. |
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(2) "Living wage" means an amount of money, determined |
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by a market-based calculation that uses geographically specific |
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expenditure data, that is sufficient to meet a family's minimum |
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necessary spending on basic needs, including food, child care, |
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health insurance, housing, and transportation. |
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(3) "Self-sufficiency" means being employed in a |
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position that pays a living wage, having financial savings in an |
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amount that is equal to at least three months of living wage income, |
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and owing only a reasonable amount of debt. |
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(b) The commission shall develop and implement a pilot |
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program for assisting up to 100 eligible participants under this |
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section to gain permanent self-sufficiency and no longer require |
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financial assistance or other public benefits. |
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(c) The pilot program will test waiving, for at least 24 |
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months but not more than 60 months, income and asset limit |
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eligibility requirements for financial assistance benefits. The |
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waiver of any income limit requirement must be in an amount that |
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does not exceed the amount, based on a participant's family makeup |
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and the living wage in the participant's geographical area of |
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residence, determined to be necessary for the purposes of the |
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program. The waiver of any asset limit requirement must be in an |
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amount that is equal to or less than three months of the |
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participant's income. |
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(d) The pilot program must be designed to allow social |
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services providers, public benefit offices, and other community |
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partners to refer potential participants to the program. A person |
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is eligible to participate in the program established under this |
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section if the person: |
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(1) is a recipient of financial assistance benefits; |
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(2) has a total household income that is less than a |
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living wage based on the recipient's family makeup and geographical |
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area of residence; |
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(3) is at least 18 but not more than 62 years of age; |
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and |
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(4) is willing and legally able to be employed. |
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(e) The pilot program must be designed to assist eligible |
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participants in attaining self-sufficiency by: |
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(1) identifying eligibility requirements for the |
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benefits described by Subsection (d)(1) that may be waived for a |
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limited period of time and that, if applied, would impede |
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self-sufficiency; |
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(2) implementing strategies, including waiving the |
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eligibility requirements identified in Subdivision (1), to remove |
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barriers to self-sufficiency; and |
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(3) moving eligible participants through progressive |
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stages toward self-sufficiency that include the following phases: |
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(A) an initial phase in which a participant moves |
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out of an emergent crisis by securing housing, medical care, and |
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financial assistance benefits; |
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(B) a second phase in which the participant moves |
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toward stability by securing employment and, if necessary, child |
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care and by participating in services that build the financial |
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management skills necessary to meet financial goals; |
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(C) a third phase in which the participant |
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transitions to self-sufficiency by securing employment that pays a |
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living wage, reducing debt, and building savings; and |
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(D) a final phase in which the participant |
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attains self-sufficiency by retaining employment that pays a living |
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wage, amassing at least three months of living wage savings, and |
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eliminating debt so that the participant will no longer be |
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dependent on financial assistance or other public benefits. |
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(f) A person who wishes to participate in the pilot program |
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must attend an in-person intake meeting with a program case |
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manager. During the intake meeting the case manager shall: |
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(1) determine whether: |
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(A) the person meets the eligibility |
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requirements under Subsection (d); and |
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(B) the income or asset limit eligibility |
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requirements may be waived under the program; |
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(2) review the person's demographic information and |
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household financial budget; |
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(3) assess the person's current financial and career |
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situations; |
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(4) collaborate with the person to develop and |
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implement strategies for removing barriers to attaining |
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self-sufficiency, including waiving income and asset limit |
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eligibility requirements for financial assistance benefits; and |
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(5) if the person is determined to be eligible for and |
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chooses to participate in the program, schedule a follow-up meeting |
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to further assess the person's crisis, review available referral |
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services, and create a service plan. |
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(g) The pilot program must provide each participant with |
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holistic, wraparound case management services to ensure that goals |
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included in a participant's service plan are achieved. A |
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participant must be assigned a program case manager who shall: |
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(1) if the participant is determined to be eligible, |
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provide the participant with a waiver described by Subsection (c), |
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allowing the participant to continue receiving financial |
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assistance benefits; |
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(2) assess, at the follow-up meeting scheduled under |
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Subsection (f)(5), the participant's crisis, review available |
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referral services, and create a service plan; and |
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(3) during the initial phase of the program, create |
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medium- and long-term goals consistent with the strategies |
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developed under Subsection (f)(4). |
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(h) The pilot program established under this section must |
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operate for at least 24 months. The program shall also include 16 |
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additional months for: |
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(1) planning and designing the program before the |
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program begins operation; and |
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(2) data collection and program evaluation after the |
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program begins operation. |
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(i) The commission shall develop and implement the pilot |
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program established under this section with the assistance of the |
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Texas Workforce Commission, local workforce development boards, |
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faith-based and other relevant public or private organizations, and |
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any other entity or person the commission determines appropriate. |
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(j) The commission shall monitor and evaluate the pilot |
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program in a manner that allows for promoting research-informed |
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results of the program. |
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(k) On the conclusion of the pilot program but not later |
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than 24 months following the date on which the program begins |
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operation, the commission shall report to the legislature on the |
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results of the program. The report must include: |
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(1) an evaluation of the program's effect on eligible |
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participants in achieving self-sufficiency and no longer requiring |
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public benefits; |
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(2) the impact to this state on the costs of the |
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financial assistance benefits program and the child care management |
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services program operated by the Texas Workforce Commission; and |
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(3) recommendations on the feasibility and |
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continuation of the program. |
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(l) During the operation of the pilot program, the |
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commission shall provide to the legislature additional reports |
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concerning the program that the commission determines to be |
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appropriate. |
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(m) The executive commissioner and the Texas Workforce |
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Commission may adopt rules to implement this section. |
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(n) This section expires September 1, 2022. |
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SECTION 2. 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 3. This Act takes effect only if a specific |
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appropriation for the implementation of the Act is provided in a |
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general appropriations act of the 85th Legislature. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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