Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB701 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		87R2845 JG-D
2		-	By: Walle~~, Meza, Morales of Maverick, Ortega~~ H.B. No. 701
	2	+	By: Walle H.B. No. 701
3	3
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5	5		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6		AN ACT
7	7		relating to simplified certification and recertification
8	8		requirements for certain persons under the supplemental nutrition
9	9		assistance program.
10	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11		SECTION 1. Section 33.015(a), Human Resources Code, is
12	12		amended to read as follows:
13	13		(a) In administering the supplemental nutrition assistance
14	14		program, the commission shall, except as provided by Subsection (c)
15	15		and Section 33.019, allow a person to comply with initial
16	16		eligibility requirements, including any initial interview, and
17	17		with subsequent periodic eligibility recertification requirements
18	18		by telephone instead of through a personal appearance at commission
19	19		offices if:
20	20		(1) the person and each member of the person's
21	21		household:
22	22		(A) have no earned income; and
23	23		(B) are elderly or persons with disabilities; or
24	24		(2) the person is subject to a hardship, as determined
25	25		by commission rule.
26	26		SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 33, Human Resources Code,
27	27		is amended by adding Section 33.019 to read as follows:
28	28		Sec. 33.019. SIMPLIFIED CERTIFICATION AND RECERTIFICATION
29	29		REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN SNAP APPLICANTS AND RECIPIENTS. (a) The
30	30		commission shall develop and implement simplified certification
31	31		and recertification requirements for supplemental nutrition
32	32		assistance program benefits for an individual who:
33	33		(1) is 60 years of age or older or is a person with a
34	34		disability, as determined by commission rule; and
35	35		(2) resides in a household in which every individual
36	36		residing in the household is 60 years of age or older or is a person
37	37		with a disability, as determined by commission rule.
38	38		(b) The simplified requirements must:
39	39		(1) allow an individual described by this section to
40	40		waive recertification interview requirements;
41	41		(2) simplify and reduce the number of verification
42	42		requirements for certifying and recertifying eligibility to
43	43		receive benefits, which must include the use of a shortened
44	44		application form; and
45	45		(3) allow the individual to remain eligible for
46	46		benefits for 36 months after certification and after each
47	47		recertification.
48	48		(c) An individual described by this section is required to:
49	49		(1) submit to the commission a change reporting form
50	50		every 12 months during the 36-month eligibility period; and
51	51		(2) report to the commission, in accordance with
52	52		federal law, when the individual receives an increase in income.
53	53		(d) The commission shall, in a manner that complies with
54	54		federal law, use data matching to help enroll in the supplemental
55	55		nutrition assistance program eligible individuals described by
56	56		this section who are receiving Medicaid benefits. The commission
57	57		may seek or use private funding or contract with a public or private
58	58		entity to carry out this section.
59	59		SECTION 3. Section 33.019, Human Resources Code, as added
60	60		by this Act, applies only to an application or recertification of
61	61		eligibility of a person for supplemental nutrition assistance
62	62		program benefits submitted on or after January 1, 2022.
63	63		SECTION 4. If before implementing any provision of this Act
64	64		a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
65	65		federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
66	66		the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
67	67		authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
68	68		waiver or authorization is granted.
69	69		SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.