HBA-NRS H.B. 474 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 474
By: Naishtat
Human Services
2/16/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, face-to-face interviews are required for initial certification
and recertification for food stamp benefits. Many recipients of food stamps
must attend a face-to-face interview as often as every three months. These
requirements can cause employment difficulties, as well as a loss of
income, when the recipient must take off work for a required interview.
House Bill 474 allows a recipient of food stamps to comply with
recertification requirements by telephone instead of through a personal
appearance at a Texas Department of Human Services office if the recipient
and each member of the recipient's household have no earned income and are
elderly or disabled, or if the recipient is subject to a hardship. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 474 amends the Human Resources Code to authorize the Texas
Department of Human Services (DHS) to allow a recipient of food stamps to
comply with periodic eligibility recertification requirements
(requirements) by telephone instead of through a personal appearance at DHS
offices if the recipient and each member of the recipient's household have
no earned income and are elderly or disabled, or if the recipient is
subject to a hardship, as determined by DHS. The bill requires DHS to
require such a recipient to personally appear at DHS offices once each year
to comply with the requirements, in accordance with federal law.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.