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Committee advances citizenship‑verification bill to budget review after testimony about homeless residents
Summary
The House Finance subcommittee advanced House Bill 1710 to be considered behind the budget after debate and public testimony over requirements to verify U.S. citizenship before providing taxpayer‑funded benefits; a health‑care executive warned the proposal could bar eligible homeless U.S. citizens from needed services.
House Bill 1710, introduced by Chairman Powers, would require state and local governments to verify U.S. citizenship or lawful immigration status for applicants age 18 and older before delivering taxpayer‑funded benefits and to report cases that cannot be verified to federal immigration authorities. The subcommittee placed the bill behind the budget for further consideration because of its fiscal implications.
The sponsor said the change mainly enforces existing law and adds reporting requirements. “It’s a state law right now that they have to do it, but everybody’s not participating,” Chairman Powers said when members questioned enforcement and reporting gaps.
Brian Hail, chief executive officer of Neighborhood Health, testified in opposition to the practical effects of the bill. “I have deep concerns about HB1710,” Hail said. He urged lawmakers to consider people who lack documentation, including homeless residents and victims of domestic violence, and warned that requiring proof of identity could block services to eligible U.S. citizens who do not carry birth certificates or passports.
Members pressed for clarification about safeguards. Representative Shaw asked how the state would help homeless applicants obtain identification; Powers replied that state systems can assist with obtaining IDs and that exemptions would remain for medical emergencies. The sponsor also said the bill would require departments to report monthly counts of unverifiable applicants and refer cases to the Department of Homeland Security when status cannot be confirmed.
The subcommittee did not vote to pass the bill to the full House; instead it placed HB1710 “behind the budget,” a procedural step the committee uses when a bill has fiscal impact and will be considered later. The committee record indicates the item will be revisited as the budget process continues.
