free birth certificates for school enrollment, Medicaid and SNAP kids

The text as introduced · 350 words

90R2911 JG-D

By: West
S.B. No. 214

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the issuance of a certified birth record of a child who

receives public assistance program benefits for public school

enrollment purposes.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 191, Health and Safety

Code, is amended by adding Section 191.00495 to read as follows:

Sec. 191.00495. BIRTH RECORD ISSUANCE TO PARENT OF CHILD

RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BENEFITS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL

ENROLLMENT. (a) This section applies only to a child who is:

(1) three years of age or older; and

(2) a recipient of Medicaid or supplemental nutrition

assistance program benefits.

(b) On request of a parent of a child to whom this section

applies and for public school enrollment purposes, the state

registrar, a local registrar, or a county clerk shall issue,

without fee, a certified copy of the child's birth record to the

parent.

(c) The executive commissioner by rule shall:

(1) adopt a process to verify a child's eligibility for

issuance to the child's parent of a certified copy of the child's

birth record under this section; and

(2) prescribe the documentation necessary for

issuance of a certified copy of a birth record to the parent of a

child to whom this section applies and whose status is verified

through the process adopted under Subdivision (1).

SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date

of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human

Services Commission shall adopt the rules required by Section

191.00495, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to

an application for a birth record submitted on or after the

effective date of this Act. An application for a birth record

submitted before the effective date of this Act is governed by the

law in effect on the date the application was submitted, and the

former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.