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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to administrative and judicial review of certain decisions |
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about financial assistance benefits. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 531.019(a) and (e), Government Code, as |
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added by Chapter 1161 (H.B. 75), Acts of the 80th Legislature, |
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Regular Session, 2007, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) In this section, "public assistance benefits" means |
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benefits provided under a public assistance program under Chapter |
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31, 32, or 33, Human Resources Code. |
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(e) For purposes of Section 2001.171, an applicant for or |
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recipient of public assistance benefits has exhausted all available |
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administrative remedies and a decision, including a decision under |
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Section 31.034 or 32.035, Human Resources Code, is final and |
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appealable on the date that, after a hearing: |
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(1) the hearing officer for the commission or a health |
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and human services agency reaches a final decision related to the |
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benefits; and |
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(2) the appropriate attorney completes an |
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administrative review of the decision and notifies the applicant or |
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recipient in writing of the results of that review. |
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SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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an appeal of a final decision by the Health and Human Services |
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Commission related to financial assistance benefits under Chapter |
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31, Human Resources Code, that is rendered on or after the effective |
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date of this Act. A final decision rendered by the commission |
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before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in |
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effect on the date the decision was rendered, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |