Bill Text: TX SB1445 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to simplified certification and recertification requirements for certain persons under the supplemental nutrition assistance program.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-2)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-05-06 - Committee report sent to Calendars [SB1445 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SB1445-Comm_Sub.html
| By: Perry, et al. | S.B. No. 1445 | |
| (Meza, Klick) | ||
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| relating to simplified certification and recertification | ||
| requirements for certain persons under the supplemental nutrition | ||
| assistance program. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 33.015(a), Human Resources Code, is | ||
| amended to read as follows: | ||
| (a) In administering the supplemental nutrition assistance | ||
| program, the commission shall, except as provided by Subsection (c) | ||
| and Section 33.019, allow a person to comply with initial | ||
| eligibility requirements, including any initial interview, and | ||
| with subsequent periodic eligibility recertification requirements | ||
| by telephone instead of through a personal appearance at commission | ||
| offices if: | ||
| (1) the person and each member of the person's | ||
| household: | ||
| (A) have no earned income; and | ||
| (B) are elderly or persons with disabilities; or | ||
| (2) the person is subject to a hardship, as determined | ||
| by commission rule. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, | ||
| is amended by adding Section 33.019 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 33.019. SIMPLIFIED CERTIFICATION AND RECERTIFICATION | ||
| REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN SNAP APPLICANTS AND RECIPIENTS. (a) The | ||
| commission shall develop and implement simplified certification | ||
| and recertification requirements for supplemental nutrition | ||
| assistance program benefits for individuals who are 60 years of age | ||
| or older and who reside in a household in which every individual | ||
| residing in the household is 60 years of age or older. The | ||
| simplified requirements must: | ||
| (1) allow an individual described by this section to | ||
| waive recertification interview requirements; | ||
| (2) simplify and reduce the number of verification | ||
| requirements for certifying and recertifying eligibility to | ||
| receive benefits, which must include the use of a shortened | ||
| application form; and | ||
| (3) allow the individual to remain eligible for | ||
| benefits for 36 months after certification and after each | ||
| recertification. | ||
| (b) An individual described by this section is required to: | ||
| (1) submit to the commission a change reporting form | ||
| every 12 months during the 36-month eligibility period; and | ||
| (2) report to the commission, in accordance with | ||
| federal law, when the individual receives an increase in income. | ||
| (c) The commission shall, in a manner that complies with | ||
| federal law, use data matching to help enroll in the supplemental | ||
| nutrition assistance program eligible individuals described by | ||
| this section who are receiving Medicaid benefits. The commission | ||
| may seek or use private funding or contract with a public or private | ||
| entity to carry out this section. | ||
| SECTION 3. Section 33.019, Human Resources Code, as added | ||
| by this Act, applies only to an application or recertification of | ||
| eligibility of a person for supplemental nutrition assistance | ||
| program benefits submitted on or after January 1, 2020. | ||
| SECTION 4. 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 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. | ||
