House Bill No. [insert number] aims to establish new eligibility requirements for public assistance programs in Louisiana by enacting R.S. 46:233.4. The bill mandates that state agencies and political subdivisions verify the citizenship or satisfactory immigration status of applicants for federal, state, or local public benefits. Specifically, it requires that applicants be recognized as U.S. citizens or possess satisfactory immigration status as defined by federal law. The bill outlines the responsibilities of state agencies in verifying this status, including making reasonable efforts to ascertain citizenship and reporting any unsatisfactory immigration status to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Additionally, the bill stipulates that upon the conclusion of a verification period, if an applicant is found to be ineligible, the agency must terminate any public benefits they receive and compile a monthly report of such cases for voter list maintenance purposes. At the end of each fiscal year, agencies are required to report to key state officials on the outcomes of the citizenship verification process, including the number of individuals reported to ICE and those whose benefits were terminated. The definition of public benefits is broad, encompassing various forms of assistance such as welfare, health, and food assistance.