| 1 | 1 | | 81R27269 KFF-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Naishtat, Walle H.B. No. 1627 |
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| 3 | 3 | | Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1627: |
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| 4 | 4 | | By: Rose C.S.H.B. No. 1627 |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program payments to |
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| 10 | 10 | | assist certain households receiving food stamp benefits. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 2306.097, Government Code, is amended to |
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| 13 | 13 | | read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 2306.097. ENERGY SERVICES PROGRAM FOR LOW-INCOME |
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| 15 | 15 | | INDIVIDUALS. (a) The Energy Services Program for Low-Income |
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| 16 | 16 | | Individuals shall operate in conjunction with the community |
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| 17 | 17 | | services block grant program and has jurisdiction and |
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| 18 | 18 | | responsibility for administration of the following elements of the |
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| 19 | 19 | | State Low-Income Energy Assistance Program, from whatever sources |
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| 20 | 20 | | funded: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) the Energy Crisis Intervention Program; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (2) the weatherization program; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | (3) the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (b) Subject to applicable state and federal law, the |
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| 25 | 25 | | department shall enter into an interagency agreement with the |
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| 26 | 26 | | Health and Human Services Commission to provide a payment of $1 each |
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| 27 | 27 | | year under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to each |
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| 28 | 28 | | household that receives food stamp benefits under the food stamp |
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| 29 | 29 | | program administered under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, if the |
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| 30 | 30 | | household is not otherwise receiving a standard utility allowance |
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| 31 | 31 | | under the food stamp program and if the payment will likely result |
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| 32 | 32 | | in an increase in the household's food stamp benefits. The |
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| 33 | 33 | | interagency agreement entered into under this subsection must: |
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| 34 | 34 | | (1) specify that the commission will issue the |
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| 35 | 35 | | payments; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (2) require the department to transfer to the |
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| 37 | 37 | | commission funds, including sufficient administrative funds, to |
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| 38 | 38 | | provide the payments; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | (3) specify the method that the commission will use |
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| 40 | 40 | | for providing the payments. |
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| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 2. (a) Not later than November 1, 2009, the Texas |
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| 42 | 42 | | Department of Housing and Community Affairs and the Health and |
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| 43 | 43 | | Human Services Commission shall enter into the interagency |
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| 44 | 44 | | agreement required by Section 2306.097(b), Government Code, as |
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| 45 | 45 | | added by this Act. |
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| 46 | 46 | | (b) Not later than December 1, 2009, the Health and Human |
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| 47 | 47 | | Services Commission shall begin making payments under the |
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| 48 | 48 | | Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to recipients of food |
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| 49 | 49 | | stamp benefits under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, as required |
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| 50 | 50 | | under Section 2306.097(b), Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 51 | 51 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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