| 1 | 1 | | By: Walle, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Deuell) H.B. No. 710 |
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| 2 | 2 | | (In the Senate - Received from the House May 9, 2011; |
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| 3 | 3 | | May 10, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on Health |
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| 4 | 4 | | and Human Services; May 20, 2011, reported favorably by the |
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| 5 | 5 | | following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 20, 2011, sent to printer.) |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | |
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| 8 | 8 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 9 | 9 | | AN ACT |
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| 10 | 10 | | relating to verification of identity of applicants for benefits |
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| 11 | 11 | | under and prevention of duplicate participation in the financial |
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| 12 | 12 | | assistance and supplemental nutrition assistance programs. |
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| 13 | 13 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 14 | 14 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, |
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| 15 | 15 | | is amended by adding Section 31.0326 to read as follows: |
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| 16 | 16 | | Sec. 31.0326. VERIFICATION OF IDENTITY AND PREVENTION OF |
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| 17 | 17 | | DUPLICATE PARTICIPATION. The Health and Human Services Commission |
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| 18 | 18 | | shall use appropriate technology to: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) confirm the identity of applicants for benefits |
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| 20 | 20 | | under the financial assistance program; and |
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| 21 | 21 | | (2) prevent duplicate participation in the program by |
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| 22 | 22 | | a person. |
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| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 2. Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, is amended by |
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| 24 | 24 | | adding Section 33.0231 to read as follows: |
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| 25 | 25 | | Sec. 33.0231. VERIFICATION OF IDENTITY AND PREVENTION OF |
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| 26 | 26 | | DUPLICATE PARTICIPATION. The department shall use appropriate |
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| 27 | 27 | | technology to: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (1) confirm the identity of applicants for benefits |
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| 29 | 29 | | under the supplemental nutrition assistance program; and |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) prevent duplicate participation in the program by |
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| 31 | 31 | | a person. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 3. Section 31.0325, Human Resources Code, is |
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| 33 | 33 | | repealed. |
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| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 4. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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| 35 | 35 | | a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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| 36 | 36 | | federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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| 37 | 37 | | the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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| 38 | 38 | | authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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| 39 | 39 | | waiver or authorization is granted. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 41 | 41 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 42 | 42 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 43 | 43 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 44 | 44 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
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| 45 | 45 | | * * * * * |
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