HBA-GUM, DMD H.B. 3524 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3524
By: Noriega
Human Services
4/6/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

A report issued by the U.S. Census Bureau Report in 1995 estimates that
four million children live in a household headed by a grandparent.  In
addition, the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS) estimates that there
are currently approximately 18,000 cases in which a grandparent is the
primary caretaker.  H.B. 3524 requires DHS to provide supplemental
financial assistance for the support of a dependent child to a recipient
who is 45 years of age or older and the grandparent of a dependent child
who lives at the recipient's residence.  This bill requires DHS to inform
applicants for financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code
(Financial Assistance and Service Programs), of that supplemental financial
assistance. This bill also requires DHS to maintain complete records and
compile statistics regarding the number of recipients who receive the
proposed supplemental financial assistance and the number of children who
are in the conservatorship of the state placed by DHS in the home of
grandparent of the child. 

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. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, by
adding Section 31.0041, as follows: 

Sec. 31.0041. SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN RECIPIENTS.
(a) Requires the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS) to provide
supplemental financial assistance in addition to the amount of financial
assistance granted for the support of a dependent child under Section
31.003 (Amount of Financial Assistance), Human Resources Code, to a
recipient who is 45 years of age or older and is the grandparent of a
dependent child, as defined by Section 31.002 (Definition of Dependent
Child), who lives at the recipient's residence. 

(b) Specifies the provisions of supplemental financial assistance provided
to a recipient under this section.  

(c) Requires DHS to inform an applicant for financial assistance under this
chapter who meets the eligibility requirements under this section of the
availability of supplemental financial assistance.  

(d) Requires DHS to maintain complete records and compile statistics
regarding the number of recipients who receive supplemental financial
assistance under this section. 
 
SECTION 2.  Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code, by
adding Section 40.070, as follows: 

Sec. 40.070. SUPPORT SERVICES FOR CERTAIN FAMILIES. (a) Specifies the
requirements for DHS, if the department places a child who is in the
conservatorship of the state with the child's grandparent.  
 
(b) Requires DHS to maintain complete records and compile statistics
regarding the number of children who are placed by DHS in the home of a
grandparent of the child.  

SECTION 3. Requires a state agency, if before implementing any provision of
this Act the state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, to
request the waiver or authorization and authorizes the state agency to
delay implementing that provision until the waiver or authorization is
granted.  

SECTION 4.Effective date: September 1, 1999. 

SECTION 5.Emergency clause.