|
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to determining eligibility for indigent health care. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Subsection (d), Section 61.006, Health and |
|
Safety Code, is amended to read as follows: |
|
(d) The department shall establish application, |
|
documentation, and verification procedures that are consistent |
|
with the analogous procedures used to determine eligibility in the |
|
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families-Medicaid program. Except |
|
as provided by Section 61.008(a)(6), the [The] department may not |
|
adopt a standard or procedure that is more restrictive than the |
|
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families-Medicaid program or |
|
procedures. |
|
SECTION 2. Section 61.008, Health and Safety Code, is |
|
amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to |
|
read as follows: |
|
(a) The department by rule shall provide that in determining |
|
eligibility: |
|
(1) a county may not consider the value of the |
|
applicant's homestead; |
|
(2) a county must consider the equity value of a car |
|
that is in excess of the amount exempted under department |
|
guidelines as a resource; |
|
(3) a county must subtract the work-related and child |
|
care expense allowance allowed under department guidelines; |
|
(4) a county must consider as a resource real property |
|
other than a homestead and, except as provided by Subsection (b), |
|
must count that property in determining eligibility; [and] |
|
(5) if an applicant transferred title to real property |
|
for less than market value to become eligible for assistance under |
|
this chapter, the county may not credit toward eligibility for |
|
state assistance an expenditure for that applicant made during a |
|
two-year period beginning on the date on which the property is |
|
transferred; and |
|
(6) if an applicant is a sponsored alien, a county may |
|
include in the income and resources of the applicant: |
|
(A) the income and resources of a person who |
|
executed an affidavit of support on behalf of the applicant; and |
|
(B) the income and resources of the spouse of a |
|
person who executed an affidavit of support on behalf of the |
|
applicant, if applicable. |
|
(c) In this section, "sponsored alien" means a person who |
|
has been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent |
|
residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. |
|
Section 1101 et seq.) and who, as a condition of admission, was |
|
sponsored by a person who executed an affidavit of support on behalf |
|
of the person. |
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
______________________________ |
|
President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
|
|
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 420 passed the Senate on |
|
April 7, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Secretary of the Senate |
|
|
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 420 passed the House on |
|
May 17, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 102, Nays 40, one |
|
present not voting. |
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
|
|
|
|
|
Approved: |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Governor |