Texas Government Code 531.1081 – Integrity of Certain Public Assistance Programs
(a) In this section:
(1) “Financial assistance benefits” means money payments under the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program operated under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, or under the state temporary assistance and support services program operated under Chapter 34, Human Resources Code.
(2) “Supplemental nutrition assistance benefits” means money payments under the supplemental nutrition assistance program operated under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code.
(b) To the extent not otherwise provided by this subtitle or Title 2, Human Resources Code, the commission shall develop and implement, in accordance with this section, methods for reducing abuse, fraud, and waste in public assistance programs.
Terms Used In Texas Government Code 531.1081
- Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
(c) On a monthly basis, the commission shall:
(1) conduct electronic data matches with the Texas Lottery Commission to determine if a recipient of supplemental nutrition assistance benefits or a recipient’s household member received reportable lottery winnings;
(2) use the database system developed under § 531.0214 to match vital statistics unit death records with a list of individuals eligible for financial assistance or supplemental nutrition assistance benefits, and ensure that any individual receiving assistance under either program who is discovered deceased has their eligibility for assistance promptly terminated; and
(3) review the out-of-state electronic benefit transfer card transactions made by a recipient of supplemental nutrition assistance benefits to determine whether those transactions indicate a possible change in the recipient’s residence.
(d) The commission shall immediately review the eligibility of a recipient of public assistance benefits if the commission discovers information under this section that affects the recipient’s eligibility.
(e) A recipient who fails to disclose lottery winnings that are required to be reported to the commission under a public assistance program presumptively commits a program violation.
(f) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section.
Text of section effective until April 01, 2025