A state senator has introduced a bill for the upcoming legislative session that would require social services to ask about immigration status when someone is applying for benefits.
Sen. Glen Sturtevant, R-Chesterfield, the sponsor of the legislation, did not immediately respond to an interview request about the bill Monday morning.
Undocumented non-citizens are already not eligible for SNAP benefits, according to the Department of Medical Assistance Services, and they have never been.
Documented non-citizens are eligible for Medicaid in Virginia if they meet certain eligibility requirements, including income and immigration status.
Pregnant women may be eligible regardless of their immigration status. Asylees and refugees may be eligible for Medicaid for the first seven years of their status.
Children under 19 who are lawfully residing in the US are eligible for Medicaid.
Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, sponsored legislation earlier this year that would have allowed undocumented children under the age of 19 to receive Medicaid benefits. The bill advanced out of the Senate but died in the House of Delegates.
Noncitizens who meet all other Medicaid eligibility rules except immigration status may still be able to get Medicaid coverage for emergency services only.
Legally residing non-citizens who are not eligible for Medicaid because of their immigration status may also be eligible for health coverage and financial assistance through Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace.
Sturtevant’s bill has been referred to the Senate’s Committee on Courts of Justice.
The legislative session begins Jan. 8.