Texas Senate Bill SB1071

Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Caption

Relating to a pilot program to provide home-delivered meals to certain individuals.

Impact

The pilot program is designed to enhance access to nutritional meals for individuals whose health could improve with better diet and meal availability. It aims to provide medically tailored meals to some participants, while others will receive standard meals. Additionally, the program stresses the importance of contracting with entities that can offer supplementary services alongside the meal provisions. The overall objective is to analyze the efficacy of home-delivered meals in improving health outcomes and potentially reducing healthcare costs.

Summary

SB1071 establishes a pilot program aimed at providing home-delivered meals to individuals with specific medical conditions that may benefit from such services in Texas. The program will be developed and implemented by the commission, which will select a targeted group of individuals to participate. The legislation allocates up to $2 million in existing resources for this initiative and mandates the operation of the program in both an urban and a rural region of the state.

Contention

While proponents of SB1071 may argue that it addresses a critical gap in nutritional support for vulnerable segments of the population, some concerns have been raised about the program's funding, effectiveness, and long-term viability. Stakeholders may debate the adequacy of the proposed budget of $2 million and whether this is sufficient for meaningful impact, especially considering the varying needs of diverse communities across Texas. The program's outcome will be assessed through a report due by October 31, 2020, which will help determine whether to continue or expand the initiative.