HBA-TBM H.B. 1175 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1175
By: Raymond
Human Services
7/3/2001
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Domestic violence harms families and households, and may also have an
adverse effect on the victim's ability to find or keep employment.  A
financial assistance recipient (recipient) who is being victimized at home
may not be able to successfully enter the workforce.  House Bill 1175
requires a financial assistance counselor to receive four hours of domestic
violence training and requires financial assistance agencies to determine
if domestic violence is preventing a recipient from entering the workforce.

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 1175 amends the Human Resources Code to require the Texas
Department of Human Services (DHS), the Texas Workforce Commission, the
office of the attorney general, and each local workforce development board
using existing resources to provide not less than four hours of training
regarding family violence to employees whose duties relate to waivers for
financial assistance requirements for victims of family violence or who
assess employment readiness or provide employment services to a recipient
of financial assistance.  The bill prescribes that the training must be
developed in collaboration with at least one organization with expertise in
family violence issues and include information relating to the potential
impact of family violence on the safety of an individual seeking or
receiving financial assistance and the ability of victims of family
violence to enter the workforce and attain financial independence.  Before
the application of a sanction or penalty based on the failure to cooperate
with DHS or the office of the attorney general or to comply with the work
or training requirements, the agency recommending or applying the sanction
or penalty must make reasonable attempts to contact the individual to
determine the cause of the failure to cooperate or comply.  If the agency
determines that family violence contributed to the failure, the agency
shall ensure that a person trained in family violence issues interviews the
individual to identify the types of services necessary to assist the
individual in safely and successfully entering the workforce.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.