88R1442 JG-F
 
  By: Guillen H.B. No. 1248
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the eligibility of social workers for the Homes for
  Texas Heroes home loan program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 2306.5621(a), Government Code, is
  amended by amending Subdivision (2) and adding Subdivision (15-a)
  to read as follows:
               (2)  "Home" means a dwelling in this state in which a
  fire fighter, corrections officer, county jailer, public security
  officer, peace officer, professional educator, social worker,
  veteran, or person defined as emergency medical services personnel
  under this section intends to reside as the borrower's principal
  residence.
               (15-a) "Social worker" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 505.002, Occupations Code.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 2306.5621(b), (c), (d), (f), and (h-1),
  Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The corporation shall establish a program to provide
  eligible fire fighters, corrections officers, county jailers,
  public security officers, peace officers, emergency medical
  services personnel, professional educators, social workers, and
  veterans with low-interest home mortgage loans.
         (c)  To be eligible for a loan under this section, at the time
  a person files an application for the loan, the person must:
               (1)  be a:
                     (A)  fire fighter, corrections officer, county
  jailer, public security officer, peace officer, social worker,
  veteran, or person defined as emergency medical services personnel
  under this section; or
                     (B)  professional educator who is employed by a
  school district or is an allied health or professional nursing
  program faculty member in this state;
               (2)  reside in this state; and
               (3)  have an income of not more than 115 percent of area
  median family income, adjusted for family size, or the maximum
  amount permitted by Section 143(f), Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
  whichever is greater.
         (d)  The corporation may contract with other agencies of the
  state or with private entities to determine whether applicants
  qualify as fire fighters, corrections officers, county jailers,
  public security officers, peace officers, emergency medical
  services personnel, professional educators, social workers, or
  veterans under this section or otherwise to administer all or part
  of this section.
         (f)  The board of directors of the corporation shall adopt
  rules governing:
               (1)  the administration of the program;
               (2)  the making of loans under the program;
               (3)  the criteria for approving mortgage lenders;
               (4)  the use of insurance on the loans and the homes
  financed under the program, as considered appropriate by the board
  to provide additional security for the loans;
               (5)  the verification of occupancy of the home by the
  fire fighter, corrections officer, county jailer, public security
  officer, peace officer, professional educator, social worker,
  veteran, or person defined as emergency medical services personnel
  as the borrower's principal residence; and
               (6)  the terms of any contract made with any mortgage
  lender for processing, originating, servicing, or administering
  the loans.
         (h-1)  To fund home mortgage loans for eligible fire
  fighters, corrections officers, county jailers, public security
  officers, peace officers, emergency medical services personnel,
  professional educators, social workers, and veterans under this
  section, the corporation may use any proceeds received from the
  sale of bonds, notes, or other obligations issued under the home
  loan program provided by this section, regardless of any amendments
  to the eligibility standards for loans made under the program and
  regardless of when the corporation received the proceeds from those
  bonds, notes, or other obligations issued under the program.
         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, 2023.