Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1616 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R7022 KKR-F
2	2	By: Rodriguez of Travis H.B. No. 1616
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the establishment of a pilot program for the purchase of
8	8	produce at farmers markets under certain nutritional assistance
9	9	programs.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Title 2, Agriculture Code, is amended by adding
12	12	Chapter 15A to read as follows:
13	13	CHAPTER 15A. "DOUBLE DOLLARS" PILOT PROGRAM
14	14	Sec. 15A.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
15	15	(1) "Farmers market" means a location at which a group
16	16	of two or more farmers who are certified under the department's
17	17	farmers market certification program offer produce for retail sale.
18	18	(2) "Food desert" means a census tract, based on the
19	19	most recent information published by the United States Bureau of
20	20	the Census, in which:
21	21	(A) the poverty rate is 20 percent or higher or
22	22	the median family income is at or below 80 percent of the area
23	23	median family income; and
24	24	(B) at least 500 people or at least 33 percent of
25	25	the census area's population reside more than:
26	26	(i) one mile from a grocery store, in the
27	27	case of a census tract other than a rural census tract; or
28	28	(ii) 10 miles from a grocery store, in the
29	29	case of a rural census tract.
30	30	(3) "Nutritional assistance program" means the
31	31	supplemental nutrition assistance program and the special
32	32	supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children.
33	33	(4) "Pilot program" means the "Double Dollars" pilot
34	34	program established under this chapter.
35	35	(5) "Produce" means fresh fruits or vegetables.
36	36	Sec. 15A.002. ESTABLISHMENT OF PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The
37	37	department shall develop and implement a pilot program to create a
38	38	"Double Dollars" program that, to the extent allowed by federal
39	39	law, provides an increase in the value of nutritional assistance
40	40	program benefits to a recipient of the benefits who resides in an
41	41	area included in the pilot program.
42	42	(b) The pilot program must be operated in an area that is
43	43	located in or accessible to one or more areas designated by the
44	44	department as food deserts.
45	45	Sec. 15A.003. ADDITIONAL NUTRITIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
46	46	BENEFIT. The pilot program must be designed to increase the
47	47	allowable weekly benefit for the purchase of produce by $1 for every
48	48	$1 used by a nutritional assistance program recipient to purchase
49	49	produce at a farmers market, with a total benefit value not to
50	50	exceed $20 a week for each nutritional assistance program from
51	51	which a recipient receives benefits.
52	52	Sec. 15A.004. ASSISTANCE WITH DEVELOPMENT AND
53	53	IMPLEMENTATION. (a) In designing and implementing the pilot
54	54	program, the department shall:
55	55	(1) collaborate and coordinate with the Health and
56	56	Human Services Commission and the Department of State Health
57	57	Services as necessary to provide the program benefit described by
58	58	Section 15A.003; and
59	59	(2) study the operation and design of existing double
60	60	dollars programs in this state, collaborate with the persons
61	61	operating those programs, and use those programs as models for the
62	62	pilot program.
63	63	(b) To implement the pilot program, the department may:
64	64	(1) seek, accept, and spend funds received through
65	65	grants or donations from public or private sources;
66	66	(2) develop partnerships with persons, including
67	67	public and private entities, located in the areas served by the
68	68	pilot program; and
69	69	(3) develop partnerships with persons, including
70	70	public and private entities, in the state who have experience
71	71	operating double dollars programs for the purpose of developing
72	72	training and obtaining technical assistance for the pilot program.
73	73	Sec. 15A.005. EXPIRATION. This chapter expires September
74	74	1, 2017.
75	75	SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
76	76	to supplemental nutrition assistance program and special
77	77	supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children
78	78	benefits distributed on or after the effective date of this Act.
79	79	Benefits distributed before the effective date of this Act are
80	80	governed by the law as it existed on the date the distribution was
81	81	made, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
82	82	SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act
83	83	a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
84	84	federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
85	85	the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
86	86	authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
87	87	waiver or authorization is granted.
88	88	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.