| TO: | Honorable Richard Pena Raymond, Chair, House Committee on Human Services |
| FROM: | John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB2610 by Guillen (Relating to the establishment of a community-based navigator program to assist individuals applying or seeking to apply through the Internet for certain public assistance benefits programs.), As Introduced |
The bill would require the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to establish a statewide community-based navigator program to recruit, train, and certify volunteers as navigators to assist individuals applying or seeking to apply online for public assistance benefits through the Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System (TIERS).
The bill would require the executive commissioner to adopt rules to implement the navigator program. The bill would also require HHSC to develop and administer a training program for the volunteer navigators. The bill would require HHSC to maintain and publish on its Internet website a list of certified navigators and would require the executive commissioner to establish the Navigator Program Advisory Committee to assist in the development and implementation of the navigator program.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2011.
According to the agency, HHSC is currently offering training to community-based organizations and working toward implementing web-based training for these purposes. In addition, HHSC has already established an advisory committee to help promote the use of online applications through partnerships with community-based organizations. Based on the agency analysis, it is assumed HHSC can implement the provisions of the bill through the use of existing resources.
| Source Agencies: | 529 Health and Human Services Commission
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, CL, MB, ES, VJC
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