HBA-DMD S.B. 666 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 666 By: Zaffirini Human Services 5/10/1999 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, Texas law regarding exemptions from work requirements for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is not in compliance with federal law. The Texas Senate Interim Committee on Health and Human Services provided certain recommendations to be considered before the expiration of the state welfare waiver in March 2002. S.B. 666 provides that a single person who is the caretaker of a child is not required to participate in a certain program until the caretaker's youngest child at the time the caretaker first became eligible for assistance reaches the age of three. This bill also provides certain exemptions for single persons who are the caretaker of a child until the caretaker's youngest child at the time the caretaker first became eligible for assistance, reaches a certain age, to phase out the exemption from work requirements for TANF recipients wit children of certain ages. 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 Section 31.012, Human Resources Code, by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (f), as follows: (c) Provides that effective January 1, 2000, a single person who is the caretaker of a child, rather than effective September 1, 1995 a person, is not required to participate in a program under this section until the caretaker's, rather than person's, youngest child at the time the caretaker first became eligible for assistance reaches the age of three, rather than five. Exempts a single person, effective September 1, 2000, rather than 1997, who is the caretaker of a child until the caretaker's youngest child at the time the caretaker first became eligible for assistance reaches the age of two, rather than four. Exempts a single person, effective September 1, 2001, who is the caretaker of a child until the caretaker's youngest child at the time the caretaker first became eligible for assistance reaches the age of one. Makes conforming changes. (f) Defines "caretaker of a child" in this section. SECTION 2. Requires the Texas Department of Human Services (department), before implementing any provision Section 31.012(c), Human Resources Code, as amended by this Act, to work in conjunction with the Texas Workforce Commission or a local workforce development board, as appropriate, to develop and implement a client education effort targeted at clients affected by the changes to that section. Requires the department to inform each client whose exemption status is affected of the pending change, the time line for the change, and the effect of the change on the client's work requirements and time limits. SECTION 3. Provides that if, before implementing any provision of Section 31.012(c), Human Resources Code, as amended by this Act, a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal agency is necessary for implementation, the agency is required to request the waiver or authorization and the agency is authorized to delay implementing that provision until the waiver or authorization is granted. SECTION 4. Provides that notwithstanding Section 31.012(c), Human Resources Code, as amended by this Act, a person receiving financial assistance under Chapter 31 (Financial Assistance and Service Programs), Human Resources Code, on December 31, 1999, remains subject to the exemptions from participation in work or employment activity requirements under Section 31.012(c), Human Resources Code, as it existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, until the person's first recertification date that occurs on or after January 1, 2000. SECTION 5.Effective date: September 1, 1999, except as provided by Section 6 of this Act. SECTION 6. Provide that this Act takes effect only if a specific appropriation for the implementation of this Act is provided in H.B. No. 1, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999. Provides that if no specific appropriation is provided in H.B. No. 1, this Act has no effect. SECTION 7.Emergency clause.