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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study of streamlining welfare programs in Texas to |
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reduce costs and improve outcomes for beneficiaries. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Welfare" means programs run by the federal |
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government and/or the State of Texas that provide food, medical, |
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and financial assistance to individuals who qualify based on need. |
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For the purposes of this study, "welfare" refers to the following |
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programs: |
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(A) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families |
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(TANF); |
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(B) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program |
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(SNAP); |
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(C) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for |
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Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); |
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(D) Medicaid; |
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(E) Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); |
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(F) Child Care and Early Learning Services |
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Program; and |
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(G) Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program |
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(CEAP) programs. |
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(b) The Legislative Budget Board must study welfare |
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programs available in the State of Texas for the purpose of |
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streamlining program eligibility requirements, resources, and |
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services to improve outcomes for beneficiaries and reduce costs to |
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taxpayers. The study must cover each of the five years prior to the |
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date this Act takes effect. The board must: |
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(1) examine: |
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(A) State taxpayer dollars expended per welfare |
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program; |
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(B) Total state and federal dollars expended per |
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welfare program in the state; |
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(C) Services provided by each program; |
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(D) Number of beneficiaries per program; |
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(E) Information on the income, employment |
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status, marital status, number of dependents, and geographic region |
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of residence for beneficiaries of the program; |
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(F) Duplication of services and administrative |
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activities across welfare programs; |
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(G) Percent of program dollars that reach the |
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intended beneficiaries of the program; |
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(H) Percent of program dollars expended on staff |
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and administrative expenses; |
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(I) Percent of beneficiaries who move off each |
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program because they no longer meet income qualification |
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requirements; |
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(J) Recidivism rate for each program; |
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(K) The average length of time between an initial |
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application for benefits and approval; and |
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(L) Percent of prospective beneficiaries who |
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begin, but never submit applications. |
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(2) conduct a cost-benefit analysis comparing the cost |
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of providing each welfare program examined with its effectiveness |
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at moving beneficiaries to self-sufficiency. |
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(3) perform a statistical analysis of the data and |
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information collected under Subdivisions (1) and (2) of this |
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subsection; and |
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(4) make recommendations for simplifying and |
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streamlining welfare programs in Texas to improve outcomes and |
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lower costs to taxpayers. |
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(c) Any agency or department that manages or administers |
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benefits under a program identified in Section (a)(1) must provide |
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requested data to the Legislative Budget Board in a timely manner. |
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(d) The Legislative Budget Board must prepare a report based |
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on the findings of the study conducted under this section and must |
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submit the report to each member of the legislature not later than |
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September 1, 2022. The report must also be posted to the Legislative |
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Budget Board's public internet website. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |