| 1 | 1 | | By: Blanco S.B. No. 869 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to eligibility for the supplemental nutrition assistance |
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| 7 | 7 | | program and the provision of employment and training services under |
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| 8 | 8 | | the program. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, |
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| 11 | 11 | | is amended by adding Sections 33.0007 and 33.021 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 33.0007. THIRD-PARTY SERVICE PROVIDERS OF SNAP |
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| 13 | 13 | | EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING SERVICES. (a) The Health and Human |
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| 14 | 14 | | Services Commission shall contract with one or more third-party |
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| 15 | 15 | | service providers to provide supplemental nutrition assistance |
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| 16 | 16 | | program employment and training services. The Health and Human |
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| 17 | 17 | | Services Commission shall prioritize contracting with a |
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| 18 | 18 | | third-party service provider that: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) expands the types and varieties of those services |
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| 20 | 20 | | available to a recipient of supplemental nutrition assistance |
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| 21 | 21 | | benefits; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | (2) has a demonstrated record of preparing individuals |
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| 23 | 23 | | for entry into workforce industries with a high demand for skilled |
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| 24 | 24 | | labor. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (b) In contracting with a third-party service provider, the |
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| 26 | 26 | | Health and Human Services Commission, shall ensure the terms of the |
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| 27 | 27 | | contract are designed in a manner that maximizes the state's |
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| 28 | 28 | | receipt of all available federal matching money for supplemental |
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| 29 | 29 | | nutrition assistance program employment and training services. |
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| 30 | 30 | | Sec. 33.021. SNAP ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN STUDENTS ENROLLED |
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| 31 | 31 | | IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS. (a) In this section, |
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| 32 | 32 | | "postsecondary educational institution" includes: |
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| 33 | 33 | | (1) an institution of higher education or a private or |
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| 34 | 34 | | independent institution of higher education as defined by Section |
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| 35 | 35 | | 61.003, Education Code; and |
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| 36 | 36 | | (2) a career school or college as defined by Section |
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| 37 | 37 | | 132.001, Education Code. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (b) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules consistent |
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| 39 | 39 | | with federal law to provide supplemental nutrition assistance |
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| 40 | 40 | | benefits to students enrolled in a postsecondary educational |
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| 41 | 41 | | institution. The rules must: |
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| 42 | 42 | | (1) identify the types of postsecondary degrees or |
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| 43 | 43 | | programs in which a student must be enrolled to qualify for |
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| 44 | 44 | | supplemental nutrition assistance benefits, including |
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| 45 | 45 | | participation in any work placement or unpaid internship associated |
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| 46 | 46 | | with a postsecondary educational institution; and |
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| 47 | 47 | | (2) ensure a student remains eligible for supplemental |
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| 48 | 48 | | nutrition assistance benefits during a break in the semester or |
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| 49 | 49 | | academic term of the postsecondary educational institution in which |
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| 50 | 50 | | the student is enrolled. |
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| 51 | 51 | | (c) The executive commissioner shall establish a work group |
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| 52 | 52 | | to provide input for the adoption of rules under Subsection (b). In |
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| 53 | 53 | | adopting the rules, the executive commissioner shall consider the |
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| 54 | 54 | | work group's input. |
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| 55 | 55 | | (d) The work group is composed of at least 9 but not more |
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| 56 | 56 | | than 13 members who are representatives of: |
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| 57 | 57 | | (1) postsecondary educational institutions; or |
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| 58 | 58 | | (2) non-profit organizations serving low-income |
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| 59 | 59 | | individuals. |
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| 60 | 60 | | (e) The executive commissioner shall ensure members of the |
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| 61 | 61 | | work group represent various types of postsecondary educational |
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| 62 | 62 | | institutions located throughout this state. The executive |
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| 63 | 63 | | commissioner shall appoint one work group member to serve as |
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| 64 | 64 | | presiding officer. |
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| 65 | 65 | | (f) The work group is automatically abolished on the adoption |
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| 66 | 66 | | of rules under Subsection (b). |
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| 67 | 67 | | (g) Subsections (c), (d), (e), and (f) and this subsection |
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| 68 | 68 | | expire September 1, 2023. |
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| 69 | 69 | | SECTION 2. (a) Not later than December 31, 2021, the |
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| 70 | 70 | | executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission |
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| 71 | 71 | | shall establish the work group required by Section 33.021, Human |
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| 72 | 72 | | Resources Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 73 | 73 | | (b) Not later than December 31, 2022, the executive |
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| 74 | 74 | | commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall |
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| 75 | 75 | | adopt the rules required by Section 33.021, Human Resources Code, |
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| 76 | 76 | | as added by this Act. |
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| 77 | 77 | | SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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| 78 | 78 | | a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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| 79 | 79 | | federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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| 80 | 80 | | the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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| 81 | 81 | | authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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| 82 | 82 | | waiver or authorization is granted. |
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| 83 | 83 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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