By Maxey, Naishtat, Raymond                            H.B. No. 577
       74R2321 CBH-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to electronic benefit transfer card security.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, is amended by
    1-5  adding Section 33.012 to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 33.012.  ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER CARD SECURITY.  (a)
    1-7  The department shall routinely share electronic data on recipients
    1-8  and retailers who use electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards with:
    1-9              (1)  each company with which the department contracts
   1-10  for the installation and operation of the EBT system's computer
   1-11  services; and
   1-12              (2)  the Food and Nutrition Service of the United
   1-13  States Department of Agriculture.
   1-14        (b)  The department and the Food and Nutrition Service of the
   1-15  United States Department of Agriculture shall:
   1-16              (1)  coordinate their efforts to train retailers on the
   1-17  use of the EBT system; and
   1-18              (2)  ensure that retailers are informed of the types of
   1-19  infractions relating to the use of EBT cards and the range of
   1-20  possible sanctions.
   1-21        (c)  The department shall place on each EBT card a photograph
   1-22  of the primary recipient.
   1-23        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-24  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-1  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-2  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-3  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-4  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-5  passage, and it is so enacted.