Bill Text: TX HB148 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to electronic benefits transfer cards used for recipients of benefits under certain assistance programs.
Sponsorship: Strong Partisan Bill (Republican 12-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-02-13 - Referred to Human Services [HB148 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB148-Introduced.html
| 85R1364 ADM-F | ||
| By: Schaefer | H.B. No. 148 | |
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| relating to electronic benefits transfer cards used for recipients | ||
| of benefits under certain assistance programs. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 531.0911 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 531.0911. PHOTOGRAPH AND OTHER INFORMATION ON CERTAIN | ||
| ELECTRONIC BENEFITS TRANSFER CARDS. (a) In this section: | ||
| (1) "Financial assistance program" means the | ||
| financial assistance program established under Chapter 31, Human | ||
| Resources Code. | ||
| (2) "Recipient" means a person who receives benefits | ||
| under the financial assistance program or the supplemental | ||
| nutrition assistance program. | ||
| (3) "Supplemental nutrition assistance program" has | ||
| the meaning assigned by Section 33.0005, Human Resources Code. | ||
| (b) Subject to Subsection (c), the commission shall ensure | ||
| that the front side of each electronic benefits transfer card used | ||
| by a recipient, or other person authorized on the recipient's | ||
| account, for purposes of receiving benefits under the financial | ||
| assistance program or the supplemental nutrition assistance | ||
| program displays: | ||
| (1) the name and photograph of the recipient or other | ||
| authorized person, as appropriate; | ||
| (2) the words "Fraud Hotline" followed by the | ||
| telephone number of the commission's toll-free hotline for | ||
| reporting suspected fraud required under Section 531.108(b)(2); | ||
| and | ||
| (3) the Internet website address maintained by the | ||
| commission for the purpose of allowing persons to report suspected | ||
| fraud in either the financial assistance program or the | ||
| supplemental nutrition assistance program. | ||
| (c) A recipient, or other person authorized on the | ||
| recipient's account, as appropriate, is exempt from the photograph | ||
| requirement imposed by Subsection (b) if the person is: | ||
| (1) 65 years of age or older; | ||
| (2) younger than 19 years of age; | ||
| (3) blind; | ||
| (4) disabled; or | ||
| (5) a victim of domestic violence. | ||
| (d) The executive commissioner may adopt rules necessary to | ||
| implement Subsection (c). | ||
| SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 531.0911, Government | ||
| Code, as added by this Act, the Health and Human Services Commission | ||
| is not required to issue electronic benefits transfer cards that | ||
| comply with that section until September 1, 2018, but is required to | ||
| begin issuing cards that comply with that section beginning on that | ||
| date. The commission shall ensure that on or before August 31, 2020, | ||
| each electronic benefits transfer card used to deliver benefits to | ||
| recipients under the financial assistance program under Chapter 31, | ||
| Human Resources Code, or the supplemental nutrition assistance | ||
| program under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, conforms to Section | ||
| 531.0911, Government Code, as added by this Act. | ||
| SECTION 3. 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 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. | ||
