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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing a process to inform certain housing |
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assistance applicants of their potential eligibility for certain |
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public assistance programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 531.0555 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 531.0555. NOTIFYING CERTAIN HOUSING APPLICANTS ABOUT |
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PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Department" means the Texas Department of Housing |
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and Community Affairs. |
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(2) "Housing choice voucher program" means the housing |
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choice voucher program under Section 8, United States Housing Act |
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of 1937 (42 U.S.C. Section 1437f). |
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(3) "Public assistance program" includes: |
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(A) Medicaid; |
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(B) the child health plan program; |
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(C) the financial assistance program under |
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Chapter 31, Human Resources Code; |
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(D) the nutritional assistance programs under |
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Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, including the supplemental |
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nutrition assistance program under that chapter; and |
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(E) other programs administered and identified |
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by the commission. |
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(b) The commission in collaboration with the department and |
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public housing authorities shall develop and implement a process to |
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screen and identify individuals and members of the individuals' |
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households who may be eligible for a public assistance program |
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based on the individual's submission of an application for |
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participation in the housing choice voucher program. |
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(c) An individual who is or has a household member who is |
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identified as potentially eligible for a public assistance program |
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must be: |
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(1) notified of each program for which the individual |
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or the individual's household member may be eligible; and |
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(2) provided with information on how to apply for and |
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obtain benefits under those programs. |
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(d) The commission and department shall enter into a |
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memorandum of understanding to implement this section. The |
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memorandum must specify the roles and duties of each agency with |
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respect to carrying out this section. |
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SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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waiver or authorization is granted. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |