By Ellis                                               S.B. No. 239
         76R3488 KKA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to assistance for certain persons in obtaining benefits
 1-3     under certain federal social security programs.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 29.015 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 29.015. ELIGIBILITY FOR SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME.
 1-8     (a)  A school district may enter into a contract under which the
 1-9     contractor:
1-10                 (1)  assists the district in identifying students
1-11     enrolled in special education programs in the district who may be
1-12     eligible for federal benefits under the supplemental security
1-13     income program (42 U.S.C. Section 1381 et seq.), as amended; and
1-14                 (2)  assists potentially eligible  students in applying
1-15     for and establishing eligibility under that program.
1-16           (b)  A school district may exercise the authority granted by
1-17     this section by entering into a new contract or by participating in
1-18     an existing contract between a state agency and a contractor under
1-19     which similar services are provided to the state.
1-20           SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, is
1-21     amended by adding Section 264.113 to read as follows:
1-22           Sec. 264.113. ELIGIBILITY FOR SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME.
1-23     (a)  The department shall enter into a contract under which the
1-24     contractor assists  a child receiving foster care under this
 2-1     chapter in applying for and establishing eligibility under the
 2-2     supplemental security income program (42 U.S.C. Section 1381 et
 2-3     seq.), as amended, if the child:
 2-4                 (1)  is at least 17 years of age;
 2-5                 (2)  has not previously applied for benefits under that
 2-6     program; and
 2-7                 (3)  according to the contractor's evaluation, would
 2-8     likely be eligible under that program if foster care payments from
 2-9     another funding source were not being made on behalf of the child.
2-10           (b)  In accordance with the contract, the contractor shall:
2-11                 (1)  take all steps necessary to assist the child in
2-12     preparing an application, including obtaining all necessary
2-13     medical and psychological records, so that an application may be
2-14     filed at the time that the child ceases receiving the benefit of
2-15     foster care payments from another funding source; and
2-16                 (2)  assist the child throughout the eligibility
2-17     process, including the determination of appeals, regardless of the
2-18     child's age or legal status as an adult.
2-19           (c)  The department may comply with Subsection (a)  by
2-20     entering into a new contract or by participating in an existing
2-21     contract between a state agency and a contractor under which
2-22     similar services are provided to the state.
2-23           SECTION 3.  Subchapter A, Chapter 533, Health and Safety
2-24     Code, is amended by adding Section 533.018 to read as follows:
2-25           Sec. 533.018. FEDERAL BENEFIT PROGRAMS.  (a)  The department
2-26     shall enter into a contract under which the contractor assists
2-27     appropriate department patients or clients receiving services from
 3-1     a community center or department facility in applying for and
 3-2     establishing eligibility for federal benefits under the
 3-3     supplemental security income program (42 U.S.C. Section 1381 et
 3-4     seq.), as amended, or the social security disability insurance
 3-5     program (42 U.S.C. Section 401 et seq.), as amended.
 3-6           (b)  The department shall identify and refer appropriate
 3-7     patients or clients to the contractor for assistance in
 3-8     establishing eligibility under the programs listed in Subsection
 3-9     (a).  In identifying appropriate patients or clients for referral,
3-10     the department shall target areas of this state with low levels of
3-11     applications for benefits under those programs and low levels of
3-12     approval of submitted applications.  The department may obtain
3-13     assistance from the contractor in identifying appropriate patients
3-14     or clients.
3-15           (c)  The department may comply with Subsection (a)  by
3-16     entering into a new contract or by participating in an existing
3-17     contract between another state agency and a contractor under which
3-18     similar services are provided to the state.
3-19           SECTION 4.  Chapter 614, Health and Safety Code, is amended
3-20     by adding Section 614.019 to read as follows:
3-21           Sec. 614.019. FEDERAL BENEFIT PROGRAMS.  (a)  The council
3-22     shall enter into a contract under which the contractor assists
3-23     appropriate offenders served by the council in applying for and
3-24     establishing eligibility for federal benefits under the
3-25     supplemental security income program (42 U.S.C. Section 1381 et
3-26     seq.), as amended, or the social security disability insurance
3-27     program (42 U.S.C. Section 401 et seq.), as amended.
 4-1           (b)  The council shall identify and refer appropriate
 4-2     offenders served by the council to the contractor for assistance in
 4-3     establishing eligibility under the programs listed in Subsection
 4-4     (a).  In identifying appropriate offenders for referral, the
 4-5     council shall target areas of this state with low levels of
 4-6     applications for benefits under those programs and low levels of
 4-7     approval of submitted applications.  The council may obtain
 4-8     assistance from the contractor in identifying appropriate
 4-9     offenders.
4-10           (c)  The council may comply with Subsection (a)  by entering
4-11     into a new contract or by participating in an existing contract
4-12     between another state agency and a contractor under which similar
4-13     services are provided to the state.
4-14           SECTION 5.  Subchapter C, Chapter 141, Human Resources Code,
4-15     is amended by adding Section 141.0521 to read as follows:
4-16           Sec. 141.0521. ELIGIBILITY FOR SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME.
4-17     (a)  The commission shall enter into a contract under which the
4-18     contractor:
4-19                 (1)  assists the commission in identifying children in
4-20     the juvenile justice system who may be eligible for federal
4-21     benefits under the supplemental security income program (42 U.S.C.
4-22     Section 1381 et seq.), as amended; and
4-23                 (2)  assists potentially eligible children in applying
4-24     for and establishing eligibility under that program.
4-25           (b)  The commission may comply with this section by entering
4-26     into a new contract or by participating in an existing contract
4-27     between a state agency and a contractor under which similar
 5-1     services are provided to the state.
 5-2           SECTION 6.  Subchapter D, Chapter 301, Labor Code, is amended
 5-3     by adding Section 301.068 to read as follows:
 5-4           Sec. 301.068.  FEDERAL BENEFIT PROGRAMS.  (a)  The commission
 5-5     shall enter into a contract under which the contractor:
 5-6                 (1)  assists the commission in identifying persons
 5-7     receiving unemployment compensation insurance benefits who may be
 5-8     eligible for federal benefits under the supplemental security
 5-9     income program (42 U.S.C. Section 1381 et seq.), as amended, or the
5-10     social security disability insurance program (42 U.S.C. Section 401
5-11     et seq.), as amended; and
5-12                 (2)  assists potentially eligible persons in applying
5-13     for and establishing eligibility under those programs.
5-14           (b)  The commission may comply with this section by entering
5-15     into a new contract or by participating in an existing contract
5-16     between another state agency and a contractor under which similar
5-17     services are provided to the state.
5-18           SECTION 7.  The importance of this legislation and the
5-19     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
5-20     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
5-21     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
5-22     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
5-23     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
5-24     passage, and it is so enacted.