1-1 By: Nixon S.B. No. 775 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed February 25, 1997; March 3, 1997, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services; 1-4 April 28, 1997, reported adversely, with favorable Committee 1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 1; April 28, 1997, 1-6 sent to printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 775 By: Nixon 1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-9 AN ACT 1-10 relating to eligibility for certain public assistance administered 1-11 by health and human services agencies. 1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-13 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is 1-14 amended by adding Section 531.047 to read as follows: 1-15 Sec. 531.047. DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR ELIGIBILITY 1-16 DETERMINATION. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a health 1-17 and human services agency may not provide financial assistance 1-18 under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, or medical assistance under 1-19 Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, to a person who fails to provide 1-20 to the agency a document necessary to determine eligibility for the 1-21 assistance. 1-22 (b) A health and human services agency may accept alternate 1-23 documents and use alternate verification methods that are adequate 1-24 to establish the eligibility of a person for the assistance if the 1-25 agency does not require another person to produce a document. 1-26 (c) This section does not apply to a determination of 1-27 eligibility that is required to be postponed under state or federal 1-28 law. 1-29 SECTION 2. If before implementing a provision of this Act 1-30 the Health and Human Services Commission determines that a waiver 1-31 or authorization from a federal agency is necessary for 1-32 implementation, the commission shall request the waiver or 1-33 authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the 1-34 waiver or authorization is granted. 1-35 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and 1-36 applies only to a person who applies for or receives financial 1-37 assistance under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, or medical 1-38 assistance under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, on or after that 1-39 date, regardless of the date on which eligibility for the 1-40 assistance is determined. 1-41 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 1-42 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-43 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-44 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-45 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-46 * * * * *