By Chavez H.B. No. 1218 77R4060 CLG-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to nutritional assistance for certain legal immigrants. 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 33.0024 to read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 33.0024. STATE IMMIGRANT FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. The 1-7 department by rule shall develop and implement a food assistance 1-8 program to provide nutritional assistance to a lawfully present 1-9 immigrant who: 1-10 (1) is a qualified alien, as that term is defined by 8 1-11 U.S.C. Section 1641(b), as amended; 1-12 (2) is a resident of this state; 1-13 (3) is not eligible for assistance under the food 1-14 stamp program under this chapter because of 8 U.S.C. Section 1612, 1-15 as amended; 1-16 (4) was receiving food stamp benefits under this 1-17 chapter for any part of the period beginning September 1, 1996, and 1-18 ending August 31, 1997; 1-19 (5) is not institutionalized; 1-20 (6) has income that is less than 200 percent of the 1-21 federal poverty level; and 1-22 (7) meets one of the following criteria: 1-23 (A) is 65 years of age or older; or 1-24 (B) was a recipient of federal benefits under 2-1 the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program (42 U.S.C. Section 2-2 1381 et seq.), as amended, for any part of the last month the 2-3 person received food stamp benefits under this chapter. 2-4 SECTION 2. The food assistance program required by Section 2-5 33.0024, Human Resources Code, as added by this Act, is intended to 2-6 replace a similar food program providing assistance to certain 2-7 immigrants ineligible for the federal food stamp program that was 2-8 authorized by the Texas Board of Human Services, implemented under 2-9 rules of the Texas Department of Human Services, and in effect 2-10 immediately before the effective date of this Act. 2-11 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.