Bill Text: TX SB1332 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to a program to allow faith- and community-based organizations to offer supplemental assistance to certain recipients of public assistance.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-18 - Referred to Health & Human Services [SB1332 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-SB1332-Introduced.html
| 84R9544 ADM-F | ||
| By: Ellis | S.B. No. 1332 | |
|
|
||
|
|
||
| relating to a program to allow faith- and community-based | ||
| organizations to offer supplemental assistance to certain | ||
| recipients of public assistance. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 531.02482 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 531.02482. FAITH- AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION | ||
| SUPPORT FOR CERTAIN PERSONS RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. (a) In | ||
| this section, "community-based organization" and "faith-based | ||
| organization" have the meanings assigned by Section 535.001. | ||
| (b) The commission shall establish a program under which | ||
| faith- and community-based organizations may contact and offer | ||
| supplemental assistance to persons applying for benefits under: | ||
| (1) the financial assistance program under Chapter 31, | ||
| Human Resources Code; | ||
| (2) the medical assistance program under Chapter 32, | ||
| Human Resources Code; and | ||
| (3) the supplemental nutrition assistance program | ||
| under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code. | ||
| (c) A person must be informed about the program and given | ||
| the opportunity to enroll at the time of application for benefits | ||
| described by Subsection (b). | ||
| (d) The commission shall develop a procedure under which | ||
| faith- and community-based organizations may apply to participate | ||
| in the program. | ||
| (e) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules to | ||
| implement the program established under this section, including | ||
| rules that: | ||
| (1) describe the types of faith- and community-based | ||
| organizations that may apply to participate in the program; | ||
| (2) facilitate contact between a person who enrolls in | ||
| the program and a faith- and community-based organization | ||
| participating in the program that provides supplemental services | ||
| that may be of assistance to the person; and | ||
| (3) permit a person enrolled in the program | ||
| established under this section to terminate the person's enrollment | ||
| in the program. | ||
| SECTION 2. 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 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date | ||
| of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human | ||
| Services Commission shall adopt the rules necessary to implement | ||
| the changes in law made by this Act. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2015. | ||
