HBA-MSH C.S.S.B. 161 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.S.B. 161
By: Zaffirini
Human Services
4/26/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Texas Department of Human Services (DHS) indicates that its financial
aid caseloads have declined from 255,294 as of August 1995 to 119,350 as of
August 2000. This reduction can be attributed to state and federal laws
that made welfare a time-limited benefit with work requirements.  Under
current law, transitional Medicaid and child-care services are provided
during the transition from public assistance to work.  Often these services
do not meet the needs of recipients, making the chance of a successful
transition from public assistance into work more difficult.  C.S.S.B. 161
authorizes DHS and the Texas Workforce Commission to expand the list of
transitional services provided to certain individuals no longer eligible
for public assistance. 

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

C.S.S.B. 161 amends the Human Resources Code to authorize the Texas
Department of Human Services and the Texas Workforce Commission, subject to
the availability of funds, to provide transitional support services to a
person who was receiving financial assistance but is no longer eligible to
receive the assistance because the person's household income has increased
or the person has exhausted time-limited benefits. The bill authorizes each
agency to provide the support services that the agency determines are
necessary and that are appropriate for the agency to provide.  The bill
authorizes the agencies to provide the support services only until the end
of the applicable period for the provision of transitional benefits or the
first anniversary of the date on which the person becomes ineligible for
financial assistance because of increased household income, whichever is
earlier.  The bill provides that such support services include
transportation assistance, emergency assistance, job coaches, education,
housing-related assistance, assistance in accessing child-care services,
and other appropriate services.  The bill specifies that the additional
transitional benefits provided to a person who is exempt from work
requirements as a caretaker of a disabled child and who voluntarily
participates in the job opportunities and basic skills program do not
include the specified transitional support services. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.S.B. 161 differs from the original by authorizing rather than requiring
the Texas Department of Human Services and the Texas Workforce Commission
to provide transitional support services to certain individuals no longer
eligible for public assistance.