Committee sends House Bill 90 to the floor to tighten public-assistance eligibility changes

Representative John Vanderrata introduced House Bill 90 to the Health and Welfare Committee, saying the bill clarifies how changes to public-assistance eligibility must be approved.

“For clarification on the bill…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, asking the committee to send the bill to the floor.

Committee members asked for clarification about whether federal waivers or amendments that decrease eligibility could be implemented without legislative approval. Vanderrata responded that he believed waivers or state-plan amendments would still require legislative approval, stating, “I believe that it would still have to be the legislature would have to approve those changes.” Representative McCann pressed the point about waivers and whether the department could decrease eligibility; Vanderrata characterized the bill as solidifying the original bill’s intent rather than correcting an existing error.

Representative Wheeler said he intended to support the motion and praised the sponsor for the clarification. No outside testimony was offered. The committee approved a motion to send House Bill 90 to the floor with a “due pass” recommendation by voice vote; the transcript records an “Aye” and the chair’s announcement that the motion carried.

No amendments were made during the committee hearing.