| 1 | 1 | | 84R9544 ADM-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Ellis S.B. No. 1332 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to a program to allow faith- and community-based |
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| 8 | 8 | | organizations to offer supplemental assistance to certain |
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| 9 | 9 | | recipients of public assistance. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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| 12 | 12 | | amended by adding Section 531.02482 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 531.02482. FAITH- AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION |
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| 14 | 14 | | SUPPORT FOR CERTAIN PERSONS RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. (a) In |
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| 15 | 15 | | this section, "community-based organization" and "faith-based |
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| 16 | 16 | | organization" have the meanings assigned by Section 535.001. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (b) The commission shall establish a program under which |
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| 18 | 18 | | faith- and community-based organizations may contact and offer |
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| 19 | 19 | | supplemental assistance to persons applying for benefits under: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (1) the financial assistance program under Chapter 31, |
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| 21 | 21 | | Human Resources Code; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (2) the medical assistance program under Chapter 32, |
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| 23 | 23 | | Human Resources Code; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | (3) the supplemental nutrition assistance program |
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| 25 | 25 | | under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (c) A person must be informed about the program and given |
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| 27 | 27 | | the opportunity to enroll at the time of application for benefits |
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| 28 | 28 | | described by Subsection (b). |
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| 29 | 29 | | (d) The commission shall develop a procedure under which |
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| 30 | 30 | | faith- and community-based organizations may apply to participate |
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| 31 | 31 | | in the program. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (e) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules to |
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| 33 | 33 | | implement the program established under this section, including |
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| 34 | 34 | | rules that: |
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| 35 | 35 | | (1) describe the types of faith- and community-based |
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| 36 | 36 | | organizations that may apply to participate in the program; |
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| 37 | 37 | | (2) facilitate contact between a person who enrolls in |
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| 38 | 38 | | the program and a faith- and community-based organization |
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| 39 | 39 | | participating in the program that provides supplemental services |
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| 40 | 40 | | that may be of assistance to the person; and |
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| 41 | 41 | | (3) permit a person enrolled in the program |
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| 42 | 42 | | established under this section to terminate the person's enrollment |
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| 43 | 43 | | in the program. |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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| 45 | 45 | | a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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| 46 | 46 | | federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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| 47 | 47 | | the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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| 48 | 48 | | authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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| 49 | 49 | | waiver or authorization is granted. |
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| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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| 51 | 51 | | of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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| 52 | 52 | | Services Commission shall adopt the rules necessary to implement |
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| 53 | 53 | | the changes in law made by this Act. |
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| 54 | 54 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 55 | 55 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 56 | 56 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 57 | 57 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 58 | 58 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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