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