Signed by Governor Greg Abbott

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that reduces barriers to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for seniors and disabled people on fixed incomes.

Highlights:

• Requires the Health and Human Services Commission to allow a person to comply with initial eligibility requirements, including any initial interview, and with subsequent periodic eligibility recertification requirements by telephone instead of through a personal appearance at commission offices if (Sec. 1-1.a):

• The person and each member of the person’s household:

• Have no earned income; and

• Are elderly or persons with disabilities; or

• The person is subject to hardship, as determined by commission rule.

• Requires the commission to develop and implement simplified certification and recertification requirements for supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits for an individual who (Sec. 2.a):

• Is 60 years of age or older or is a person with a disability, as determined by commission rule;

• Has no earned income; and

• Resides in a household in which every individual residing in the household is 60 years of age or older or is a person with a disability, as determined by commission rule.

• Requires the simplified requirements to meet the following criteria (Sec. 2.b):

• Allow an individual described by this law to waive recertification interview requirements;

• Simplify and reduce the number of verification requirements for certifying and recertifying eligibility to receive benefits, which must include the use of a shortened application form; and

• Allow the individual to remain eligible for benefits for 36 months after certification and after each recertification.

• Requires an individual described by this law to do the following (Sec. 2.c):

• Submit to the commission a change reporting form every 12 months during the 36-month eligibility period; and

• Report to the commission, in accordance with federal law, when the individual receives an increase in income.

• Requires the commission to, in a manner that complies with federal law, use data matching to inform eligible individuals described by this section who are receiving Medicaid benefits of their eligibility for supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits (Sec. 2.d).

Full Bill Text