BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	C.S.H.B. 1287
88R30951 SCP-F	By: Guillen et al. (Blanco)
	Health & Human Services
	5/19/2023
	Committee Report (Substituted)

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Inflation is making it increasingly difficult for many Texas families to afford food. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) ensures that qualifying individuals in low-income households are able to purchase food, but eligibility for SNAP benefits in Texas is determined in part by calculating the total value of a household's resources, including motor vehicles. Current law excludes a portion of a motor vehicle's fair market value from a SNAP applicant's household resources for purposes of determining the applicant's eligibility for the benefits, but inflation-caused increases in motor vehicle values mean that the maximum amount that may be excluded no longer reflects market realities for Texas households.

C.S.H.B 1287 seeks to address this issue by making a necessary and long overdue one-time adjustment to the SNAP vehicle asset test limits by updating the value for the first vehicle to $22,500 and $8,700 for any subsequent vehicle.

C.S.H.B. 1287 amends current law relating to the exclusion of certain resources in determining eligibility for the supplemental nutrition assistance program.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, by adding Section 33.021, as follows:

Sec. 33.021. EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN RESOURCES IN DETERMINING SNAP ELIGIBILITY. Prohibits the Health and Human Services Commission, in determining the eligibility of an applicant for or recertifying the eligibility of a recipient of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits, from considering as resources the value of a motor vehicle in which the applicant or recipient or a member of the applicant's or recipient's household has an ownership interest up to $22,500 for the first vehicle and $8,700 for each additional vehicle.

SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3. Requires a state agency, if necessary for implementation of a provision of this Act, to request a waiver or authorization from a federal agency, and authorizes a delay of implementation until such a waiver or authorization is granted.

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2023.