79R4339 KLA-F

By:  Naishtat                                                     H.B. No. 709



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the exclusion of certain resources in determining 
eligibility for financial assistance.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 31.032(d), Human Resources Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
	(d)  In determining whether an applicant is eligible for 
assistance, the department shall exclude from the applicant's 
available resources:
		(1)  $2,000 [$1,000] for the applicant's household, or 
$3,000 if [including a household in which] there is a person with a 
disability or a person who is at least 60 years of age in the 
applicant's household; [and]
		(2)  the fair market value of the applicant's ownership 
interest in a primary motor vehicle, not to exceed $15,000; and
		(3)  the fair market value of the applicant's ownership 
interest in each other motor vehicle, but not more than [the amount 
determined according to the following schedule:
			[(A)  $4,550 on or after September 1, 1995, but 
before October 1, 1995;
			[(B)  $4,600 on or after October 1, 1995, but 
before October 1, 1996;
			[(C)  $5,000 on or after October 1, 1996, but 
before October 1, 1997;  and
			[(D)]  $5,000 plus or minus an amount to be 
determined annually beginning on October 1, 1997, to reflect 
changes in the new car component of the Consumer Price Index for All 
Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
	SECTION 2.  If before implementing any provision of this Act 
a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a 
federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, 
the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or 
authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the 
waiver or authorization is granted.
	SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act applies to a 
person who receives financial assistance under Chapter 31, Human 
Resources Code, on or after the effective date of this Act, 
regardless of the date on which eligibility for the financial 
assistance was determined.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.