Bill Text: TX HB1965 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled


Bill Title: Relating to the expansion of faith- and community-based health and human services initiatives.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 9-1)

Status: (Passed) 2011-06-17 - Effective immediately [HB1965 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-HB1965-Enrolled.html
 
 
  H.B. No. 1965
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the expansion of faith- and community-based health and
  human services initiatives.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 535.051, Government Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as
  follows:
         (b)  The chief administrative officer of each of the
  following state agencies, in consultation with the governor, shall
  designate one employee from the agency to serve as a liaison for
  faith- and community-based organizations:
               (1)  the Texas Department [Office] of Rural [Community]
  Affairs;
               (2)  the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;
               (3)  the Texas Department of Criminal Justice;
               (4)  the Texas Department of Housing and Community
  Affairs;
               (5)  the Texas Education Agency;
               (6)  the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission;
               (7)  the Texas Veterans Commission;
               (8)  the Texas Workforce Commission;
               (9)  the Texas Youth Commission;
               (10)  the office of the governor;
               (11)  the Department of Public Safety;
               (12)  the Texas Department of Insurance;
               (13)  the Public Utility Commission of Texas;
               (14)  the office of the attorney general;
               (15)  the Department of Agriculture;
               (16)  the office of the comptroller;
               (17)  the Department of Information Resources;
               (18)  the Office of State-Federal Relations;
               (19)  the office of the secretary of state; and
               (20) [(10)]  other state agencies as determined by the
  governor.
         (c)  The commissioner of higher education, in consultation
  with the presiding officer of the interagency coordinating group,
  shall designate one employee from an institution of higher
  education, as that term is defined under Section 61.003, Education
  Code, to serve as a liaison for faith- and community-based
  organizations.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 535.053(a) and (b), Government Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The interagency coordinating group for faith- and
  community-based initiatives is composed of each faith- and
  community-based liaison designated under Section 535.051 and a
  liaison from the State Commission on National and Community
  Service.  The commission shall provide administrative support to
  the interagency coordinating group.
         (b)  The liaison from the State Commission on National and
  Community Service [commission employee designated as a liaison
  under Section 535.051] is the presiding officer of the interagency
  coordinating group.  If the State Commission on National and
  Community Service is abolished, the liaison from the governor's
  office is the presiding officer of the interagency coordinating
  group.
         SECTION 3.  Section 535.054, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 535.054.  REPORT [REPORTS]. (a) Not later than
  December 1 of each year, the interagency coordinating group shall
  submit a report to the legislature that describes in detail the
  activities, goals, and progress of the interagency coordinating
  group.  [A liaison designated under Section 535.051 shall:
               [(1)     provide periodic reports to the executive
  commissioner or other chief executive officer who designated the
  liaison, as applicable, on a schedule determined by the person who
  designated the liaison; and
               [(2)     report annually to the governor's office of
  faith- and community-based initiatives and as necessary to the
  State Commission on National and Community Service regarding the
  liaison's efforts to comply with the duties imposed under Sections
  535.052 and 535.053.]
         (b)  The [Each] report made under Subsection (a) [(a)(2)]
  must be made available to the public through posting on the office
  of the governor's Internet website[, and the reports may be
  aggregated into a single report for that purpose].
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter B, Chapter 535, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 535.055 to read as follows:
         Sec. 535.055.  TASK FORCE ON IMPROVING RELATIONS WITH
  NONPROFITS. (a)  The interagency coordinating group task force is
  established to help direct the interagency coordinating group in
  carrying out the group's duties under this section.  The commission
  shall provide administrative support to the task force.
         (b)  The executive commissioner, in consultation with the
  presiding officer of the interagency coordinating group, shall
  appoint as members of the task force one representative from each of
  the following groups and entities:
               (1)  a statewide nonprofit organization;
               (2)  local governments;
               (3)  faith-based groups;
               (4)  community-based groups;
               (5)  consultants to nonprofit corporations;
               (6)  experts in grant writing; and
               (7)  a statewide association of nonprofit
  organizations.
         (c)  In addition to the interagency coordinating group's
  other duties, the interagency coordinating group, in coordination
  with the task force, shall:
               (1)  develop and implement a plan for improving
  contracting relationships between state agencies and faith- and
  community-based organizations;
               (2)  develop best practices for cooperating and
  collaborating with faith- and community-based organizations;
               (3)  identify and address duplication of services
  provided by the state and faith- and community-based organizations;
  and
               (4)  identify and address gaps in state services that
  faith- and community-based organizations could fill.
         (d)  The task force shall prepare a report describing actions
  taken or not taken by the interagency coordinating group under this
  section and include in the report any recommendations relating to
  legislation necessary to address an issue identified by the group
  under this section.  The task force shall present the report to the
  House Committee on Human Services or its successor, the House
  Committee on Public Health or its successor, and the Senate Health
  and Human Services Committee or its successor not later than
  September 1, 2012.
         (e)  This section expires September 1, 2013.
         SECTION 5.  Not later than October 1, 2011, the executive
  commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall
  appoint members to the interagency coordinating group task force in
  accordance with Section 535.055, Government Code, as added by this
  Act.
         SECTION 6.  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, 2011.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1965 was passed by the House on April
  19, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 144, Nays 0, 2 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1965 was passed by the Senate on May
  19, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0
  .
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor       
feedback