|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to the exclusion of certain costs from income and |
|
resources in determining eligibility for nutritional assistance. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, is amended by |
|
adding Section 33.014 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 33.014. EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN COSTS. (a) To the extent |
|
allowed by federal law, the department shall exclude from the |
|
monthly income and resources of an applicant for nutritional |
|
assistance an amount equal to the average amount charged for |
|
electric utility service that is billed in the applicant's name for |
|
the applicant's residence during the three months preceding the |
|
date of the application for purposes of determining: |
|
(1) whether the applicant meets household income and |
|
resource requirements for eligibility for nutritional assistance; |
|
or |
|
(2) the amount of assistance or the types of other |
|
benefits for which the applicant is eligible under a nutritional |
|
assistance program. |
|
(b) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
|
Services Commission may adopt rules to implement this section. |
|
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
|
to a determination of eligibility of a person for nutritional |
|
assistance under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, made on or after |
|
the effective date of this Act. A determination of eligibility made |
|
before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in |
|
effect on the date the determination was made, and the former law is |
|
continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
SECTION 3. 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 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |