BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                               C.S.S.B. 1764

80R16107 KLA-D                                                                                                             By: Uresti

Health & Human Services

5/11/2007

Committee Report (Substituted)

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The Food Stamp Program (program) provides crucial support to families making a transition from welfare to work.  Currently in Texas, only 50 percent of persons eligible are enrolled in the program, equating to approximately two million eligible persons who are not receiving these federally funded benefits.  Increasing the enrollment in the program to 70 percent would bring hundreds of millions of dollars into Texas' economy and relieve the burden on health care programs, such as Medicaid.

C.S.S.B. 1764 requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to establish a pilot program which authorizes retail businesses and HHSC to enter into an agreement that increases outreach efforts and eligibility determinations for the program.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 1 (Section 531.066, Government Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, by adding Section 531.066, as follows:

Sec. 531.066.  FOOD STAMP PROGRAM OUTREACH AND ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION PILOT PROGRAM.  (a)  Requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to develop and implement a pilot program in the South Texas region under which a private retail business that provides services related to the food stamp program administered under Chapter 33 (Nutritional Assistance Programs), Human Resources Code, enters into an agreement with HHSC to support outreach efforts and eligibility determinations for that program.

(b) Authorizes a private retail business participating in the pilot program and HHSC, subject to state and federal laws governing the food stamp program, to provide certain space and perform certain tasks.

(c) Authorizes the executive commissioner of HHSC to adopt rules regarding the requirements applicable to a private retail business that participates in the program.

(d) Requires HHSC, not later than December 1, 2008, to submit to the legislature a report that includes an evaluation of the pilot program, including the program's effects on the food stamp program and recommendations regarding the continuation or expansion of the pilot program.

(e) Provides that this section expires September 1, 2009.

SECTION 2.  Authorizes a state agency to delay implementing a provision of this Act until a requested federal waiver or authorization necessary to implement that provision is obtained.

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2007.