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Committee sends HB 90 to the floor tightening legislative oversight of public‑assistance eligibility
Summary
House Bill 90, sponsored by Representative John Vanderrata, was sent to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation; the bill narrows the means for agencies to expand benefit eligibility without legislative approval.
The Health and Welfare Committee voted to send House Bill 90 to the House floor with a due‑pass recommendation after Representative John Vanderrata, R‑District 22, described the bill as clarifying who is eligible for public assistance and how eligibility is determined. "This bill just kind of tightens it a little bit so it's pretty clear that no additional benefits or no additional costs can be done to the state plan, amendment, agency guidance or other documents that it really needs to go through the state legislature," Vanderrata said.
Committee members asked whether the bill would require legislative approval for waivers or plan amendments that decrease eligibility. Representative McCann asked whether a waiver that "decrease[s] eligibility" would allow the department to reduce eligibility without legislative action. Vanderrata responded: "I believe that it would still have to be the legislature would have to approve those changes. Because it says here amendments to state plan also is included in this and I think the waivers would be amendments to state plan and so I believe that the legislature would have to approve that."
Representative Wheeler noted the bill removes the word "financial," effectively broadening the kinds of benefit changes that would require legislative review; Vanderrata said the change was intended to cover benefits that may have non‑monetary value. No outside testimony was offered. The committee approved the motion to send HB 90 to the floor with a due‑pass recommendation by voice vote.
