| 1 | 1 | | By: Shapleigh, Hinojosa S.B. No. 1088 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the use of food stamp benefits at farmers markets. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, is amended by |
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| 9 | 9 | | adding Section 33.0024 to read as follows: |
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| 10 | 10 | | Sec. 33.0024. USE OF FOOD STAMP BENEFITS AT FARMERS |
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| 11 | 11 | | MARKETS. (a) In this section: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (1) "Farmers market" has the meaning assigned by |
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| 13 | 13 | | Section 15.001, Agriculture Code. |
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| 14 | 14 | | (2) "Lone Star Card" means the card issued by the |
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| 15 | 15 | | Health and Human Services Commission to deliver benefits under the |
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| 16 | 16 | | food stamp program and the financial assistance program established |
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| 17 | 17 | | under Chapter 31. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) The department, in cooperation with the Department of |
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| 19 | 19 | | Agriculture, shall take all action necessary to ensure that |
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| 20 | 20 | | recipients of food stamp benefits may use those benefits to |
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| 21 | 21 | | purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, and other food at farmers |
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| 22 | 22 | | markets. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (c) Action required under Subsection (b) includes: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (1) ensuring the availability of Lone Star Card |
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| 25 | 25 | | terminals at each farmers market so that food stamp recipients may |
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| 26 | 26 | | use Lone Star Cards to make purchases at the market; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (2) providing training and technical assistance to |
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| 28 | 28 | | managers and vendors at farmers markets regarding acceptance of the |
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| 29 | 29 | | Lone Star Card; and |
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| 30 | 30 | | (3) conducting an outreach campaign to inform food |
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| 31 | 31 | | stamp recipients of the ability to use Lone Star Cards at farmers |
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| 32 | 32 | | markets. |
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| 33 | 33 | | SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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| 34 | 34 | | a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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| 35 | 35 | | federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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| 36 | 36 | | the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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| 37 | 37 | | authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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| 38 | 38 | | waiver or authorization is granted. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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