Bill affecting Texas indigent care for legal immigrants headed to governor

Associated Press
Posted: 05/16/2011 02:57:05 PM MDT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The Texas legislature has sent to the governor a measure requiring legal permanent U.S. residents to provide additional proof they are impoverished before qualifying for state indigent care services.
Passed Monday in the House 100-37, the bill allows individual counties to check the financial resources of the U.S. citizen who sponsored a permanent resident's entry into the country before allowing the green-card holder access to indigent care services.

If the sponsor has the resources to finance treatment, the person they sponsored wouldn't be eligible for indigent care.

The measure largely restates existing federal law. Still, supporters say it will help Texas counties safeguard their indigent-care coffers.

Approved in April by the Texas Senate, the measure sparked debate in the House from opponents who called it immigrant bashing.

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