Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1795 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R3855 JG-D
2	2	By: West S.B. No. 1795
3	3
4	4
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 individuals who are 60 years of age
33	33	or older and who reside in a household in which every individual
34	34	residing in the household is 60 years of age or older. The
35	35	simplified requirements must:
36	36	(1) allow an individual described by this section to
37	37	waive recertification interview requirements;
38	38	(2) simplify and reduce the number of verification
39	39	requirements for certifying and recertifying eligibility to
40	40	receive benefits, which must include the use of a shortened
41	41	application form; and
42	42	(3) allow the individual to remain eligible for
43	43	benefits for 36 months after certification and after each
44	44	recertification.
45	45	(b) An individual described by this section is required to:
46	46	(1) submit to the commission a change reporting form
47	47	every 12 months during the 36-month eligibility period; and
48	48	(2) report to the commission, in accordance with
49	49	federal law, when the individual receives an increase in income.
50	50	(c) The commission shall, in a manner that complies with
51	51	federal law, use data matching to help enroll in the supplemental
52	52	nutrition assistance program eligible individuals described by
53	53	this section who are receiving Medicaid benefits. The commission
54	54	may seek or use private funding or contract with a public or private
55	55	entity to carry out this section.
56	56	SECTION 3. Section 33.019, Human Resources Code, as added
57	57	by this Act, applies only to an application or recertification of
58	58	eligibility of a person for supplemental nutrition assistance
59	59	program benefits submitted on or after January 1, 2022.
60	60	SECTION 4. If before implementing any provision of this Act
61	61	a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
62	62	federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
63	63	the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
64	64	authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
65	65	waiver or authorization is granted.
66	66	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.