bill adding social workers to Homes for Texas Heroes

The text as introduced · 610 words

89R48 JG-F

By: Lopez of Cameron
H.B. No. 1630

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the eligibility of social workers for the Homes for

Texas Heroes home loan program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 2306.5621(a), Government Code, is

amended by amending Subdivision (2) and adding Subdivision (15-a)

to read as follows:

(2) "Home" means a dwelling in this state in which a

fire fighter, corrections officer, county jailer, public security

officer, peace officer, professional educator, social worker,

veteran, or person defined as emergency medical services personnel

under this section intends to reside as the borrower's principal

residence.

(15-a) "Social worker" has the meaning assigned by

Section 505.002, Occupations Code.

SECTION 2. Sections 2306.5621(b), (c), (d), (f), and (h-1),

Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

(b) The corporation shall establish a program to provide

eligible fire fighters, corrections officers, county jailers,

public security officers, peace officers, emergency medical

services personnel, professional educators, social workers, and

veterans with low-interest home mortgage loans.

(c) To be eligible for a loan under this section, at the time

a person files an application for the loan, the person must:

(1) be a:

(A) fire fighter, corrections officer, county

jailer, public security officer, peace officer, social worker,

veteran, or person defined as emergency medical services personnel

under this section; or

(B) professional educator who is employed by a

school district or is an allied health or professional nursing

program faculty member in this state;

(2) reside in this state; and

(3) have an income of not more than 115 percent of area

median family income, adjusted for family size, or the maximum

amount permitted by Section 143(f), Internal Revenue Code of 1986,

whichever is greater.

(d) The corporation may contract with other agencies of the

state or with private entities to determine whether applicants

qualify as fire fighters, corrections officers, county jailers,

public security officers, peace officers, emergency medical

services personnel, professional educators, social workers, or

veterans under this section or otherwise to administer all or part

of this section.

(f) The board of directors of the corporation shall adopt

rules governing:

(1) the administration of the program;

(2) the making of loans under the program;

(3) the criteria for approving mortgage lenders;

(4) the use of insurance on the loans and the homes

financed under the program, as considered appropriate by the board

to provide additional security for the loans;

(5) the verification of occupancy of the home by the

fire fighter, corrections officer, county jailer, public security

officer, peace officer, professional educator, social worker,

veteran, or person defined as emergency medical services personnel

as the borrower's principal residence; and

(6) the terms of any contract made with any mortgage

lender for processing, originating, servicing, or administering

the loans.

(h-1) To fund home mortgage loans for eligible fire

fighters, corrections officers, county jailers, public security

officers, peace officers, emergency medical services personnel,

professional educators, social workers, and veterans under this

section, the corporation may use any proceeds received from the

sale of bonds, notes, or other obligations issued under the home

loan program provided by this section, regardless of any amendments

to the eligibility standards for loans made under the program and

regardless of when the corporation received the proceeds from those

bonds, notes, or other obligations issued under the program.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.