Bill Text: TX SB179 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to a public outreach and education campaign for mixed-status families regarding eligibility for Medicaid and the child health plan program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-12 - Filed [SB179 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-SB179-Introduced.html

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89R2984 MM-D
By: Menéndez S.B. No. 179

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a public outreach and education campaign for
mixed-status families regarding eligibility for Medicaid and the
child health plan program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 545, Government Code, as
effective April 1, 2025, is amended by adding Section 545.0059 to
read as follows:
Sec. 545.0059. PUBLIC OUTREACH CAMPAIGN FOR MIXED-STATUS
FAMILIES ON MEDICAID AND CHILD HEALTH PLAN PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY.
(a) In this section, "mixed-status family" means a family in which
one or more members is not a citizen or national of the United
States and one or more members is a citizen or national of the
United States.
(b) The commission shall conduct a public outreach and
education campaign designed to educate and inform mixed-status
families about eligibility requirements under Medicaid and the
child health plan program. The campaign must:
(1) clearly explain the programs' eligibility
requirements relating to residency and citizenship status,
including the programs' eligibility requirements for citizens,
qualified aliens, and lawful permanent residents;
(2) inform individuals that a child's receipt of
benefits under a program will not affect the immigration status of
the child's parent;
(3) be tailored to the population targeted by the
campaign, including by providing information in English and Spanish
or another language spoken by the majority of the targeted
population; and
(4) be disseminated through methods designed to reach
the targeted population, including by:
(A) distributing information and providing
presentations at health fairs; and
(B) working with relevant organizations or
groups, including community clinics.
(c) To support the campaign conducted under this section,
the commission shall develop informational material about Medicaid
and child health plan program eligibility criteria relating to
residency and citizenship status that is:
(1) up-to-date;
(2) clear and easy to understand; and
(3) made available in English and Spanish or another
language spoken by the majority of a targeted population.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.