Bill Text: TX HB183 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 1st Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of the task force on asylum-seeking migrants.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-07-09 - Filed [HB183 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB183-Introduced.html
By: Howard | H.B. No. 183 |
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relating to the establishment of the task force on asylum-seeking | ||
migrants. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 403, Government Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subchapter R to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER R. TASK FORCE ON ASYLUM-SEEKING MIGRANTS | ||
Sec. 403.501. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
(1) "Asylum-seeking migrant" means a person who is | ||
seeking asylum in the United States and who has been released into a | ||
community in this state by: | ||
(A) the Office of Refugee Resettlement; | ||
(B) United States Customs and Border Protection | ||
or United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, pending an | ||
immigration hearing; | ||
C) the Department of Public Safety; or | ||
(D) any other state or federal law enforcement | ||
agency stationed at the border. | ||
(2) "Task force" means the task force on | ||
asylum-seeking migrants. | ||
Sec. 403.502. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSES. The task force on | ||
asylum-seeking migrants is established to: | ||
(1) study the humanitarian and fiscal impacts of the | ||
presence of asylum-seeking migrants in this state related to: | ||
(a) public education and school districts; | ||
(b) open-enrollment charter schools; | ||
(c) institutions of higher education; | ||
(d) the provision of health and human services | ||
and child protection; | ||
e) the Texas Workforce Commission; | ||
f) the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as | ||
well as the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, issues studied by | ||
the Task Force shall include, but is not limited to, information | ||
pertaining to: | ||
(f-1) human trafficking; | ||
(f-2) sex trafficking; and | ||
(f-3) sexual assault; or | ||
(g) other areas the Task Force determines to be | ||
relevant in the production of the report. | ||
(2) produce a report outlining the status of | ||
asylum-seeking migrants in this state and distribute that report to | ||
state officials. | ||
Sec. 403.503. COMPOSITION. The task force is composed of | ||
twelve members to be appointed by the comptroller as follows: | ||
(1) one representative of a faith-based organization | ||
providing direct services to asylum-seeking migrants in this state; | ||
(2) one representative of a community-based | ||
organization providing direct services to asylum-seeking migrants | ||
in this state; | ||
(3) one member who is a superintendent of a school | ||
district from the border region of Texas; | ||
(4) one representative of a law enforcement agency; | ||
(5) one representative of the Texas Education Agency; | ||
(6) one representative of the Health and Human | ||
Services Commission; | ||
(7) one representative of the comptroller; | ||
(8) one representative of the Texas Higher Education | ||
Coordination Board; | ||
(9) one representative of the Texas Department of | ||
Criminal Justice; | ||
(10) one representative of the Texas Juvenile Justice | ||
Department; and | ||
(11) one member from the Texas House and Texas Senate | ||
who represent a region of the border. | ||
Sec. 403.504. MEETINGS. (a) The task force shall meet at | ||
least three times each year and may hold additional meetings in | ||
person or by conference call if necessary. | ||
(b) Section 551.125 applies to a meeting held by conference | ||
call under this section, except that Section 551.125(b) does not | ||
apply. | ||
Sec. 403.505. COMPENSATION. A member of the task force may | ||
not receive compensation for service on the task force. | ||
Sec. 403.506. REPORT. (a) Using funds available to the | ||
task force under Section 403.507, the task force shall partner with | ||
an independent third party to produce a report outlining the status | ||
of asylum-seeking migrants in this state. | ||
(b) The task force shall submit the report to the governor, | ||
lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and | ||
comptroller no later than December 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023. | ||
Sec. 403.507. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The | ||
comptroller may accept on behalf of the task force a gift, grant, or | ||
donation from any source to carry out the purposes of this | ||
subchapter. Notwithstanding any other provision of this | ||
subchapter, the comptroller is not required to convene the task | ||
force to produce the report if sufficient private gifts, grants, or | ||
donations are not available. | ||
Sec. 403.508. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished and | ||
this subchapter expires January 1, 2024. | ||
SECTION 2. (a) Not later than December 31, 2021, the | ||
comptroller of public accounts shall, subject to Section 403.507, | ||
Government Code, as added by this Act, convene the task force | ||
required under Subchapter R, Chapter 403, Government Code, as added | ||
by this Act. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |