SRC-DBM S.B. 1095 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1095 76R3328 CLG-DBy: Zaffirini Human Services 4/8/1999 As Filed (REVISED) DIGEST Currently, the purpose of the State Immigrant Food Assistance Program (SIFAP) is to provide food assistance to many of the Texas legal immigrants who lost their eligibility for federal food stamp benefits when the federal welfare reform bill was signed into law on August 22, 1996. Two groups of Texas legal immigrants became ineligible for food stamps: a group of about 330 elderly, legal immigrants whose 65th birthdays fell between August 22, 1996 and March 1, 1998; and a group of about 1,000 children who entered the United States after August 22, 1996. S.B. 1095 would provide nutritional assistance for certain legal immigrants. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 1095 implements a nutritional assistance program for certain legal immigrants. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is granted to the Texas Department of Human Services in SECTION 1 (Section 33.0024, Chapter 33, Human Resources Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, by adding Section 33.0024, as follows: Sec. 33.0024. STATE IMMIGRANT FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. (a) Requires the Texas Department of Human Services (department), by rule, to develop and implement a state immigrant food assistance program to provide nutritional assistance to a lawfully present immigrant who meets certain criteria. (b) Requires the state immigrant food assistance program, subject to Subsection (a), to be administered using the same eligibility procedures and benefit levels that are used in administering the food stamp program under this chapter. SECTION 2. Provides that the state immigrant food assistance program required by Section 33.0024, Human Resources Code, as added by this Act, is intended to replace a similar food program providing assistance to certain immigrants ineligible for the federal food stamp program that was authorized by the Texas Board of Human Services, implemented under rules of the department, and in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act. SECTION 3.Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4.Emergency clause.