Sec. 31.0033.  GOOD CAUSE HEARING FOR FAILURE TO COOPERATE.  (a)  If the commission or Title IV-D agency determines that a person has failed to cooperate with the requirements of the responsibility agreement under Section 31.0031, the person determined to have failed to cooperate or, if different, the person receiving the financial assistance may request a hearing to show good cause for failure to cooperate not later than the 13th day after the date the notice is sent under Section 31.0032.  If the person determined to have failed to cooperate or, if different, the person receiving the financial assistance requests a hearing to show good cause not later than the 13th day after the date on which the notice is sent under Section 31.0032, the commission may not withhold or reduce the payment of financial assistance until the commission determines whether the person had good cause for the person's failure to cooperate.  On a showing of good cause for failure to cooperate, the person may receive a financial assistance payment for the period in which the person failed to cooperate, but had good cause for that failure to cooperate.
(b)  The commission shall promptly conduct a hearing if a timely request is made under Subsection (a).
(c)  If the commission finds that good cause for the person's failure to cooperate was not shown at a hearing, the commission may not make a financial assistance payment in any amount to the person for the person or the person's family for the period prescribed by Section 31.0032(a-1).
(d)  The executive commissioner by rule shall establish criteria for good cause failure to cooperate and guidelines for what constitutes a good faith effort on behalf of a recipient under this section.
(e)  Except as provided by a waiver or modification granted under Section 31.0322, a person has good cause for failing or refusing to cooperate with the requirement of the responsibility agreement under Section 31.0031(d)(1) only if:
(1)  the person's cooperation would be harmful to the physical, mental, or emotional health of the person or the person's dependent child;  or
(2)  the person's noncooperation resulted from other circumstances the person could not control.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 655, Sec. 2.02(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1995.  Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 556, Sec. 75, eff. Sept. 1, 1999;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 198, Sec. 2.88(a), eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by: 
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 4.045, eff. April 2, 2015.