By: Perry  S.B. No. 2124          (In the Senate - Filed March 10, 2017; March 28, 2017, read   first time and referred to Committee on Finance; April 27, 2017,   reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the   following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 2; April 27, 2017, sent to printer.)Click here to see the committee vote    COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 2124 By:  Hancock     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT     relating to a pilot program for assisting certain recipients of   public benefits to gain permanent self-sufficiency.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is   amended by adding Section 531.02241 to read as follows:          Sec. 531.02241.  PILOT PROGRAM FOR SELF-SUFFICIENCY OF   CERTAIN PERSONS RECEIVING TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES   BENEFITS OR OTHER SERVICES.  (a)  In this section:                (1)  "Financial assistance benefits" means money   payments under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)   program authorized by Chapter 31, Human Resources Code.                (2)  "Living wage" means an amount of money, determined   by a market-based calculation that uses geographically specific   expenditure data, that is sufficient to meet a family's minimum   necessary spending on basic needs, including food, child care,   health insurance, housing, and transportation.                (3)  "Self-sufficiency" means being employed in a   position that pays a living wage, having financial savings in an   amount that is equal to at least three months of living wage income,   and owing only a reasonable amount of debt.          (b)  The commission shall develop and implement a pilot   program for assisting up to 100 eligible participants under this   section to gain permanent self-sufficiency and no longer require   financial assistance or other public benefits.          (c)  The pilot program will test waiving, for at least 24   months but not more than 60 months, income and asset limit   eligibility requirements for financial assistance benefits. The   waiver of any income limit requirement must be in an amount that   does not exceed the amount, based on a participant's family makeup   and the living wage in the participant's geographical area of   residence, determined to be necessary for the purposes of the   program. The waiver of any asset limit requirement must be in an   amount that is equal to or less than three months of the   participant's income.          (d)  The pilot program must be designed to allow social   services providers, public benefit offices, and other community   partners to refer potential participants to the program.  A person   is eligible to participate in the program established under this   section if the person:                (1)  is a recipient of financial assistance benefits;                (2)  has a total household income that is less than a   living wage based on the recipient's family makeup and geographical   area of residence;                (3)  is at least 18 but not more than 62 years of age;   and                (4)  is willing and legally able to be employed.          (e)  The pilot program must be designed to assist eligible   participants in attaining self-sufficiency by:                (1)  identifying eligibility requirements for the   benefits described by Subsection (d)(1) that may be waived for a   limited period of time and that, if applied, would impede   self-sufficiency;                (2)  implementing strategies, including waiving the   eligibility requirements identified in Subdivision (1), to remove   barriers to self-sufficiency; and                (3)  moving eligible participants through progressive   stages toward self-sufficiency that include the following phases:                      (A)  an initial phase in which a participant moves   out of an emergent crisis by securing housing, medical care, and   financial assistance benefits;                      (B)  a second phase in which the participant moves   toward stability by securing employment and, if necessary, child   care and by participating in services that build the financial   management skills necessary to meet financial goals;                      (C)  a third phase in which the participant   transitions to self-sufficiency by securing employment that pays a   living wage, reducing debt, and building savings; and                      (D)  a final phase in which the participant   attains self-sufficiency by retaining employment that pays a living   wage, amassing at least three months of living wage savings, and   eliminating debt so that the participant will no longer be   dependent on financial assistance or other public benefits.          (f)  A person who wishes to participate in the pilot program   must attend an in-person intake meeting with a program case   manager. During the intake meeting the case manager shall:                (1)  determine whether:                      (A)  the person meets the eligibility   requirements under Subsection (d); and                      (B)  the income or asset limit eligibility   requirements may be waived under the program;                 (2)  review the person's demographic information and   household financial budget;                 (3)  assess the person's current financial and career   situations;                 (4)  collaborate with the person to develop and   implement strategies for removing barriers to attaining   self-sufficiency, including waiving income and asset limit   eligibility requirements for financial assistance benefits; and                (5)  if the person is determined to be eligible for and   chooses to participate in the program, schedule a follow-up meeting   to further assess the person's crisis, review available referral   services, and create a service plan.           (g)  The pilot program must provide each participant with   holistic, wraparound case management services to ensure that goals   included in a participant's service plan are achieved. A   participant must be assigned a program case manager who shall:                (1)  if the participant is determined to be eligible,   provide the participant with a waiver described by Subsection (c),   allowing the participant to continue receiving financial   assistance benefits;                  (2)  assess, at the follow-up meeting scheduled under   Subsection (f)(5), the participant's crisis, review available   referral services, and create a service plan; and                (3)  during the initial phase of the program, create   medium- and long-term goals consistent with the strategies   developed under Subsection (f)(4).          (h)  The pilot program established under this section must   operate for at least 24 months.  The program shall also include 16   additional months for:                (1)  planning and designing the program before the   program begins operation; and                (2)  data collection and program evaluation after the   program begins operation.          (i)  The commission shall develop and implement the pilot   program established under this section with the assistance of the   Texas Workforce Commission, local workforce development boards,   faith-based and other relevant public or private organizations, and   any other entity or person the commission determines appropriate.          (j)  The commission shall monitor and evaluate the pilot   program in a manner that allows for promoting research-informed   results of the program.          (k)  On the conclusion of the pilot program but not later   than 24 months following the date on which the program begins   operation, the commission shall report to the legislature on the   results of the program. The report must include:                (1)  an evaluation of the program's effect on eligible   participants in achieving self-sufficiency and no longer requiring   public benefits;                (2)  the impact to this state on the costs of the   financial assistance benefits program and the child care management   services program operated by the Texas Workforce Commission; and                (3)  recommendations on the feasibility and   continuation of the program.          (l)  During the operation of the pilot program, the   commission shall provide to the legislature additional reports   concerning the program that the commission determines to be   appropriate.          (m)  The executive commissioner and the Texas Workforce   Commission may adopt rules to implement this section.          (n)  This section expires September 1, 2022.          SECTION 2.  If before implementing any provision of this Act   a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a   federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,   the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or   authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the   waiver or authorization is granted.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect only if a specific   appropriation for the implementation of the Act is provided in a   general appropriations act of the 85th Legislature.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2017.     * * * * *