(a) The board shall ensure that the federal funds committee of the department includes representatives of all divisions of the department that may be able to assist the committee in identifying and qualifying for additional federal funds, specifically including the offices of the institutional division that manage agricultural and industrial issues.
(b) The board shall require the committee to:
(1) maximize federal grant and entitlement funding available to the state;
(2) submit biennially to the board a detailed report that includes information on all federal grants and entitlements identified and applied for by the committee and the results of the applications; and
(3) work in conjunction with the Office of State-Federal Relations and the Texas Department of Human Services to investigate the applicability of:
(A) the national school lunch program to inmates who are pursuing a primary or secondary education while confined in the institutional division; and
(B) the food stamp program administered under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, to inmates who are confined and treated in substance abuse felony punishment facilities.

Terms Used In Texas Government Code 493.013

  • Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.