87R7116 JG-D
By: Romero, Jr. H.B. No. 1449
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the exclusion of certain resources in determining
eligibility for financial assistance and supplemental nutrition
assistance program benefits.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 31.032(d), Human Resources Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(d) In determining whether an applicant is eligible for
assistance, the commission shall exclude from the applicant's
available resources:
(1) $5,000 [$1,000] for the applicant's household,
including a household in which there is a person with a disability
or a person who is at least 60 years of age; and
(2) each [the fair market value of the applicant's
ownership interest in a] motor vehicle in which the applicant or a
member of the applicant's household has an ownership interest[, but
not more than $5,000 plus or minus an amount to be determined
annually beginning on October 1, 1997, to reflect changes in the new
car component of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers
published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics].
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 33, Human Resources Code,
is amended by adding Section 33.021 to read as follows:
Sec. 33.021. EXCLUSION OF MOTOR VEHICLES IN DETERMINING
SNAP ELIGIBILITY. In determining the eligibility of an applicant
for or recertifying the eligibility of a recipient of supplemental
nutrition assistance program benefits, the commission shall
exclude from the applicant's available resources each motor vehicle
in which the applicant or recipient or a member of the applicant's
or recipient's household has an ownership interest.
SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply to:
(1) an initial determination or redetermination of
eligibility of a person for financial assistance under Chapter 31,
Human Resources Code, that is made on or after the effective date of
this Act; and
(2) an initial determination or recertification of
eligibility of a person for the supplemental nutrition assistance
program under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, that is made on or
after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 4. If before implementing any provision of this Act
a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
waiver or authorization is granted.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.