Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1138 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	S.B. No. 1138
	1	+	By: Hughes, et al. S.B. No. 1138
	2	+	(Noble, Frank, Swanson, Shaheen, Meza)
2	3
3	4
	5	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	6		AN ACT
5	7		relating to a study on streamlining public safety net programs to
6	8		reduce costs and improve outcomes for recipients under the
7	9		programs.
8	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	11		SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act:
10	12		(1) "Board" means the Legislative Budget Board.
11	13		(2) "Safety net program" means any needs-based state
12	14		or federal program that provides food, medical, or financial
13	15		assistance to a recipient under the program, including:
14	16		(A) the child health plan program under Chapter
15	17		62, Health and Safety Code;
16	18		(B) the financial assistance program under
17	19		Chapter 31, Human Resources Code;
18	20		(C) the medical assistance program under Chapter
19	21		32, Human Resources Code;
20	22		(D) the supplemental nutrition assistance
21	23		program under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code;
22	24		(E) the federal special supplemental nutrition
23	25		program for women, infants, and children authorized by 42 U.S.C.
24	26		Section 1786;
25	27		(F) the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program
26	28		administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community
27	29		Affairs in accordance with the federal Low-Income Home Energy
28	30		Assistance Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. Section 8621 et seq.); and
29	31		(G) the child care services program operated by
30	32		the Texas Workforce Commission.
31	33		SECTION 2. STUDY OF SAFETY NET PROGRAMS. (a) The board, in
32	34		coordination with the Health and Human Services Commission and
33	35		other applicable state agencies, shall conduct a study on safety
34	36		net programs available in this state during the five-year period
35	37		preceding the effective date of this Act for the purposes of:
36	38		(1) streamlining program eligibility requirements,
37	39		resources, and benefits;
38	40		(2) improving outcomes for recipients under the
39	41		programs; and
40	42		(3) reducing costs to taxpayers.
41	43		(b) The study must include:
42	44		(1) an examination of:
43	45		(A) the total amount of:
44	46		(i) taxpayer revenue spent per safety net
45	47		program;
46	48		(ii) state money appropriated per program;
47	49		and
48	50		(iii) federal money received per program;
49	51		(B) benefits provided under each program;
50	52		(C) the number of recipients enrolled in or
51	53		otherwise receiving benefits under each program;
52	54		(D) aggregate demographic and socioeconomic
53	55		information on recipients under each program including information
54	56		relating to:
55	57		(i) the average household income of
56	58		recipients under each program;
57	59		(ii) the employment status of recipients
58	60		or, if recipients are dependents, the parents or guardians of
59	61		recipients, under each program;
60	62		(iii) the marital status of recipients or,
61	63		if recipients are dependents, the parents or guardians of
62	64		recipients, under each program; and
63	65		(iv) the average number of dependents in
64	66		recipient households under each program;
65	67		(E) duplicative services and administrative
66	68		activities among programs;
67	69		(F) the percentage of state money appropriated to
68	70		each program that is directly spent on providing benefits to
69	71		recipients under the program and the percentage that is spent on
70	72		staff and other administrative costs;
71	73		(G) the percentage of recipients who become
72	74		ineligible for each program because the recipient no longer meets
73	75		the income eligibility requirements;
74	76		(H) the number of individuals who begin, but do
75	77		not complete, an application for benefits under each program and a
76	78		statement of that number as a percentage of the overall number of
77	79		recipients under each program;
78	80		(I) the rate at which former recipients of each
79	81		program later reapply for benefits under the program; and
80	82		(J) the average length of time between an initial
81	83		application for benefits and approval under each program;
82	84		(2) a cost-benefit analysis that compares the costs of
83	85		providing each program with the program's effectiveness at
84	86		transitioning recipients to self-sufficiency; and
85	87		(3) a statistical analysis of the data collected under
86	88		Subdivisions (1) and (2).
87	89		(c) The board shall collect any information necessary to
88	90		conduct the study from each state agency that administers or
89	91		operates a safety net program. At the request of the board, each
90	92		agency shall submit the requested information to the board within a
91	93		reasonable time, as prescribed by the board.
92	94		(d) The board shall conduct the study and prepare the report
93	95		required by Section 3 of this Act using existing resources.
94	96		SECTION 3. REPORT ON SAFETY NET PROGRAMS. Not later than
95	97		September 1, 2022, the board shall:
96	98		(1) submit a report on the board's findings and
97	99		recommendations to the legislature, including recommendations on
98	100		how to:
99	101		(A) simplify and streamline each safety net
100	102		program;
101	103		(B) improve outcomes of each program; and
102	104		(C) lower costs to taxpayers for safety net
103	105		programs; and
104	106		(2) post the report on the board's Internet website.
105	107		SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires January 1, 2023.
106	108		SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect
107	109		immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members
108	110		elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas
109	111		Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for
110	112		immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
111		-	______________________________ ______________________________
112		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
113		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1138 passed the Senate on
114		-	April 27, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0;
115		-	May 25, 2021, Senate refused to concur in House amendments and
116		-	requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 27, 2021, House
117		-	granted request of the Senate; May 30, 2021, Senate adopted
118		-	Conference Committee Report by the following vote: Yeas 31,
119		-	Nays 0.
120		-	______________________________
121		-	Secretary of the Senate
122		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1138 passed the House, with
123		-	amendments, on May 13, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 89,
124		-	Nays 57, two present not voting; May 27, 2021, House granted
125		-	request of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee;
126		-	May 29, 2021, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the
127		-	following vote: Yeas 85, Nays 53, one present not voting.
128		-	______________________________
129		-	Chief Clerk of the House
130		-	Approved:
131		-	______________________________
132		-	Date
133		-	______________________________
134		-	Governor