Bill Text: TX HB1257 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the application and verification of eligibility for certain public benefits programs.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-10 - Referred to Public Health [HB1257 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HB1257-Introduced.html
82R3972 EES-D | ||
By: Kolkhorst | H.B. No. 1257 |
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relating to the application and verification of eligibility for | ||
certain public benefits programs. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is | ||
amended by adding Sections 531.02417 and 531.02419 to read as | ||
follows: | ||
Sec. 531.02417. TEXAS INTEGRATED ELIGIBILITY REDESIGN | ||
SYSTEM DESIGN REQUIREMENTS. The commission shall ensure that the | ||
Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System (TIERS) is designed so | ||
that: | ||
(1) automated controls prohibit a person from | ||
continuing to process an application for benefits under a public | ||
benefits program until an applicant's residency, social security | ||
number, citizenship status, or immigration status, as applicable, | ||
is verified by a third party if required under the public benefits | ||
program; | ||
(2) if a public benefits program allows | ||
self-declaration as an acceptable method of verifying an | ||
applicant's residency, social security number, citizenship status, | ||
or immigration status, a manual system override is necessary before | ||
a person may continue to process an application for benefits; | ||
(3) automated controls prohibit a person from | ||
continuing to process an application for recertification of | ||
eligibility for benefits under a public benefits program if the | ||
applicant's social security number was not verified at the time of | ||
the applicant's initial determination of eligibility for benefits; | ||
and | ||
(4) the income eligibility and verification system | ||
(IEVS) required under Section 1137, Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. | ||
Section 1320b-7), is fully integrated into the system. | ||
Sec. 531.02419. CERTAIN APPLICATIONS FOR | ||
ASSISTANCE. (a) In this section: | ||
(1) "Federally funded public benefits programs" means | ||
the following federally funded assistance programs administered by | ||
the commission or a health and human services agency: | ||
(A) the financial assistance program; | ||
(B) the medical assistance program; and | ||
(C) the supplemental nutritional assistance | ||
program. | ||
(2) "Undocumented resident" means a person who is not | ||
eligible to receive benefits under a federally funded benefits | ||
program because the person does not have or is unable to provide | ||
information required under the program relating to the person's | ||
citizenship status or immigration status. | ||
(b) The commission shall ensure that any application form | ||
used by the commission or other health and human services agency | ||
that allows a person to simultaneously apply for benefits under | ||
federally funded public benefits programs contains the following | ||
statement in conspicuous bold print: "Undocumented residents are | ||
not eligible for benefits." | ||
(c) An application form described under Subsection (b) may | ||
not contain: | ||
(1) a statement that informs a person who does not | ||
qualify for benefits because of the person's citizenship status or | ||
immigration status that the person may apply for benefits on behalf | ||
of other members of the person's household, including the person's | ||
children; and | ||
(2) any information related to voter registration. | ||
(d) To the extent permitted by federal law, a person who | ||
applies for benefits using the application form described under | ||
Subsection (b) must complete the entire application before: | ||
(1) the commission or other health and human services | ||
agency may determine whether the person qualifies for benefits; and | ||
(2) the person may receive benefits. | ||
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. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |