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BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.H.B. 285

By: Springer

Human Services

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Concerns have been raised about possible overuse of the federal supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP). C.S.H.B. 285 seeks to address this issue by prohibiting the Health and Human Services Commission from taking certain actions to establish a waiver or exemption from SNAP work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

 

ANALYSIS

 

C.S.H.B. 285 amends the Human Resources Code to prohibit the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) from requesting a waiver of the applicability of, or providing a 15 percent exemption from, the work requirements prescribed under the time limit for able-bodied adults without dependents in the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP). The bill requires HHSC, in conjunction with the Texas Workforce Commission, to ensure that a person who is at least 18 years of age but younger than 50 years of age, who has no dependents, and who does not have a disability receives SNAP employment and training services unless the person is eligible for an individual waiver under SNAP.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2019.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

 

While C.S.H.B. 285 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

 

The substitute changes the persons who are to be ensured receipt of SNAP employment and training services and includes an exception for those eligible for an individual waiver.