Sec. 2308.314.  TAX ASSISTANCE.  (a)  The Texas Workforce Commission may provide to individuals who participate in a workforce development program information on the federal earned income tax credit for working families.  The commission may assist participants in preparing and filing federal income tax forms to ensure that a participant who is eligible to receive the tax credit obtains the tax credit.  The commission may fulfill its duties under this subsection by:
(1)  working in conjunction with the Internal Revenue Service to make each workforce development center a volunteer income tax assistance site during the two months preceding the date federal income taxes are due;  or
(2)  using specially trained staff or volunteers to assist in preparing and filing federal income tax forms.
(b)  The Texas Workforce Commission may provide information on the federal earned income tax credit to an employer who hires a welfare recipient under a wage supplementation program.
(c)  In addition to providing information under Subsection (a) to an individual who participates in a workforce development program, the Texas Workforce Commission may provide the information to any other person who uses services provided through a workforce development center.
(d)  In this section:
(1)  "Wage supplementation program" means a program under which the state reserves all or part of the amounts that would be payable as benefits to welfare recipients and uses those amounts to provide and subsidize jobs for the recipients.
(2)  "Welfare recipient" means a person who receives financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, or food stamps under the food stamp program administered under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1321, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.