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


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1175
By: Raymond
Human Services
3/18/2001
Introduced



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 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
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 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 work force 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 bill requires an
employee who has received the family violence training to determine whether
family violence contributed to the recipient's failure and, if so, to
identify the types of services necessary to assist the individual in safely
and successfully entering the workforce.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.