Sponsors and certain applicants in the Child and Adult Care Food Program must keep a required performance bond and submit principal identification and address proof; the department may run background checks and can deny or revoke participation for specified dishonesty or integrity-related convictions.
Sec. 33.0271. CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM: PROGRAM PARTICIPANT REQUIREMENTS. (a) In this section, "institution" and "principal" have the meanings assigned by 7 C.F.R. Section 226.2. (b) To the extent permitted under federal law, a sponsoring organization shall maintain a performance bond in an amount specified by department rule from a company holding a certificate of authority as an acceptable surety on federal bonds from the United States secretary of the treasury. To determine whether a company holds a certificate of authority as an acceptable surety on federal bonds, the department and a sponsoring organization may rely on the list published by the United States Department of the Treasury in accordance with 31 C.F.R. Section 223.16. (c) To the extent permitted under federal law, on application for or renewal of participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, a nongovernmental entity applying to participate or to renew participation in the program as a sponsoring organization or other institution must submit to the department the following with respect to each of the entity's principals for use in conducting a background and criminal history check: (1) a copy of a government-issued form of identification of the principal, which may include a copy of: (A) a driver's license issued by this state or another state; (B) an identification card issued by this state, another state, or the federal government; (C) a passport; or (D) another form of identification approved by the department; and (2) proof of the principal's residential mailing address, which may include: (A) official mail sent to the principal's address from a utility provider, governmental agency, or financial institution; (B) a residential lease executed by the principal; or (C) any other form of proof approved by the department. (d) If there is a change in a principal or the residential mailing address of a principal of a nongovernmental entity participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program as a sponsoring organization or other institution, the entity must submit to the department the same information required under Subsection (c) with respect to the principal for use in conducting a background and criminal history check. (e) The department may conduct a background and criminal history check on each principal of an entity subject to this section using: (1) the information provided under Subsection (c) or (d), as applicable; and (2) the information made available by the Department of Public Safety under Section 411.1146, Government Code, or by the Federal Bureau of Investigation or other criminal justice agency under Section 411.087, Government Code. (f) If the background and criminal history check authorized under Subsection (e) using information provided under Subsection (c) reveals that an entity knowingly falsified statements contained in the application, the department may refer that matter to an appropriate prosecuting attorney for criminal prosecution. (g) If a background and criminal history check authorized under Subsection (e) reveals that the principal of an entity that is an applicant for or participant in the Child and Adult Care Food Program has been convicted of fraud, violating an antitrust law, embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, receiving stolen property, making false claims, obstructing justice, or any other criminal offense that indicates a lack of business integrity as determined by the department, the department: (1) shall deny the entity's application for participation in the program; or (2) may, at the department's discretion, revoke the entity's authority to participate in the program. (h) The department by rule may establish procedures that would allow an entity that had the entity's application to participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program denied or authority to participate in the program revoked under Subsection (g) to appeal the department's determination under that subsection. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 870 (S.B. 77), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2011. Amended by: Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 4.165, eff. April 2, 2015.