HBA-MPM H.B. 1006 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1006
By: Naishtat
Human Services
2/25/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

In 1995, the 74th Texas Legislature passed welfare reform.  When Congress
passed federal welfare reform regulations the next year, Texas was allowed
to take advantage of a waiver option authorizing a delay in implementing
some federal provisions.  This waiver expires in March 2002, and there are
some advisable conforming changes to state law in anticipation of that
expiration.  House Bill 1006 codifies current exemptions from work
requirements for recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and
directs the Texas Department of Human Services and the Texas Workforce
Commission to provide employment outreach services to those exempted. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1006 amends the Human Resources Code to exempt recipients of
financial assistance from the work requirements of Temporary Assistance for
Needy Families (TANF). 
The bill requires the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS), to the
extent permitted by federal law, to also consider these persons as exempt
on the basis of hardship from mandatory work requirements imposed by
federal law if circumstances entitling the person to an exemption exist
after the time that DHS would otherwise be required to include the person
in determining the state's work participation rate under federal law. 

The bill requires DHS and the Texas Workforce Commission, as appropriate,
to provide outreach services to assist a person who is exempt from work
requirements in becoming self-supporting.  The bill provides that outreach
services must include making support services available, including
workforce services provided by local workforce development boards, and
providing referrals to appropriate services, including those provided by
the Texas Rehabilitation Commission, the Texas Commission on Alcohol and
Drug Abuse, or community organizations. 

The bill provides that the requirement to work at least 30 hours a week is
satisfied, regardless of the number of hours actually worked, if the
person's weekly earnings equal at least the amount that would be received
by a person working 30 hours at minimum wage. 

The bill also removes existing provisions which provide an exemption from
participation in the job opportunities and basic skills program for a
single caretaker of a child under three years of age effective January 1,
2000, and a single caretaker of a child under two years of age, effective
September 1, 2000. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.