The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

1. (1) Applicant--An adult, or teen head of household, in a family who applies for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance, who previously did not leave TANF in a sanctioned status.
2. (2) Choices eligible--An individual eligible to receive Choices services including an adult or teen head of household who is an applicant, conditional applicant, recipient, former recipient, or sanctioned family as defined in this chapter.

3. (3) Choices participant--A Choices eligible participating in or outreached for Choices services, including:

   1. (A) Exempt Choices participant--An adult or teen head of household who is not required under Texas Human Resources Code, Chapter 31 or Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) rules (1 TAC, Chapter 372, Texas Works), to participate in Choices services, but who may voluntarily participate in Choices services.
   2. (B) Mandatory Choices participant--An adult or teen head of household, including an extended TANF recipient, conditional applicant, and sanctioned family, as defined in this section, who is required under Texas Human Resources Code, Chapter 31 or HHSC rules (1 TAC, Chapter 372, Texas Works), to participate in Choices services.
4. (4) Conditional applicant--An adult or teen head of household who left TANF in a sanctioned status, but who is reapplying for TANF cash assistance.
5. (5) Earned Income Deduction (EID)--A standard work-related and income deduction, available for four months through HHSC.
6. (6) Extended TANF recipient--A recipient who receives TANF cash assistance past the 60-month federal time limit because of a hardship exemption as defined in Texas Human Resources Code, Chapter 31 and HHSC rules (1 TAC, Chapter 372, Texas Works).
7. (7) Former recipient--An adult or teen head of household who no longer receives TANF cash assistance because of employment.
8. (8) HHSC--Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
9. (9) PRWORA--The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-193, 110 Stat. 2105, as amended.
10. (10) Recipient--An adult or teen head of household who receives TANF cash assistance.
11. (11) Sanctioned family--An adult or teen head of household who must demonstrate cooperation for one month in order to reinstate TANF cash assistance.
12. (12) TANF cash assistance--The cash grant provided through HHSC to individuals who meet certain residency, income, and resource criteria as provided under federal and state statutes and regulations, including the PRWORA, the TANF block grant statutes, the TANF State Plan, TANF cash assistance provided under Texas Human Resources Code, Chapters 31 and 34, and other related regulations.
13. (13) Work-based services--Includes those employment programs defined in Texas Human Resources Code §31.0126.
14. (14) Work ready--A Choices eligible is considered work ready if he or she has the skills that are required by employers in the local workforce development area. A Board must ensure immediate access to the labor market to determine whether the Choices eligible has those necessary skills to obtain employment.

15. (15) Work requirement--For the purposes of 42 U.S.C. §607 and 45 C.F.R. §261.10, a Choices eligible is deemed to be engaged in work by cooperating with:

    1. (A) all requirements set forth in the family employment plan, as described in this chapter; and
    2. (B) all TANF core and non-core activities, as set forth in this chapter.

Source Note:The provisions of this §811.2 adopted to be effective November 18, 2003, 28 TexReg 10261; amended to be effective February 26, 2007, 32 TexReg 906.