The bill, H.B. No. 5461, amends the Education Code and the Human Resources Code in Texas to establish new eligibility criteria for recipients of supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) benefits who are convicted of truancy-related offenses. Specifically, it introduces a new subsection in the Education Code that mandates courts to provide a written warning to defendants who are SNAP recipients when they are convicted of truancy offenses. This warning will inform them of the potential consequences on their SNAP benefits if they face subsequent truancy convictions. The executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission is tasked with prescribing the form and content of this warning.

Additionally, the bill outlines specific reductions in SNAP benefits based on the number of truancy convictions. If a recipient is convicted twice, their benefits will be reduced to 75% of their original allotment; if convicted three times, to 50%; and if convicted four or more times, they will become ineligible for SNAP benefits altogether. The bill also includes provisions for state agencies to seek necessary waivers from federal agencies before implementing these changes and clarifies that the new laws will only apply to offenses committed after the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 25.093, Human Resources Code 33.018 (Education Code 25, Human Resources Code 33)