Bill Text: TX HB2718 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to a program to allow faith- and community-based organizations to offer supplemental assistance to certain recipients of public assistance.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 9-3)
Status: (Passed) 2015-06-19 - Effective on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [HB2718 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB2718-Enrolled.html
H.B. No. 2718 |
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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, on the request of the | ||
applicant, contact and offer supplemental assistance to an | ||
applicant 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; | ||
(3) the supplemental nutrition assistance program | ||
under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code; or | ||
(4) the child health plan program under Chapter 62, | ||
Health and Safety Code. | ||
(c) At the time of application for benefits described by | ||
Subsection (b), an applicant must: | ||
(1) be informed about and given the opportunity to | ||
enroll in the program; and | ||
(2) be informed that enrolling in the program will not | ||
affect the person's eligibility for benefits. | ||
(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 and the | ||
qualifications and standards of service required of a participating | ||
organization; | ||
(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; | ||
(3) establish processes for the suspension, | ||
revocation, and periodic renewal of an organization's | ||
participation in the program, as appropriate; | ||
(4) establish methods to ensure the confidentiality | ||
and appropriate use of applicant information shared with a | ||
participating organization; and | ||
(5) permit a person enrolled in the program to | ||
terminate the person's enrollment in the program. | ||
(f) In establishing the program, the commission may solicit | ||
expertise and assistance from interested persons, including faith- | ||
and community-based organizations, and may establish a temporary | ||
work group to provide input and assistance. This subsection | ||
expires, and any work group established under this subsection is | ||
abolished, September 1, 2017. | ||
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 September 1, 2016. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.B. No. 2718 was passed by the House on April | ||
21, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, 1 present, not | ||
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. | ||
No. 2718 on May 27, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 141, Nays 0, | ||
2 present, not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.B. No. 2718 was passed by the Senate, with | ||
amendments, on May 24, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays | ||
0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: __________________ | ||
Date | ||
__________________ | ||
Governor |