Bill Text: TX HB278 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of the task force on asylum-seeking children.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-05-03 - Left pending in committee [HB278 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB278-Introduced.html
| 85R2570 LED-F | ||
| By: Howard | H.B. No. 278 | |
|
|
||
|
|
||
| relating to the establishment of the task force on asylum-seeking | ||
| children. | ||
| 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 CHILDREN | ||
| Sec. 403.501. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
| (1) "Asylum-seeking child" means a minor fleeing | ||
| Central America 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; or | ||
| (B) United States Customs and Border Protection | ||
| or United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, pending an | ||
| immigration hearing. | ||
| (2) "Task force" means the task force on | ||
| asylum-seeking children. | ||
| Sec. 403.502. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSES. The task force on | ||
| asylum-seeking children is established to: | ||
| (1) study the humanitarian and fiscal impacts of the | ||
| presence of asylum-seeking children in this state related to: | ||
| (A) public education and school districts; and | ||
| (B) the provision of health and human services | ||
| and child protection; and | ||
| (2) produce a report outlining the status of | ||
| asylum-seeking children in this state and distribute that report to | ||
| state and federal officials. | ||
| Sec. 403.503. COMPOSITION. The task force is composed of | ||
| eight members to be appointed by the comptroller as follows: | ||
| (1) one representative of a faith-based organization | ||
| providing direct services to asylum-seeking children in this state; | ||
| (2) one representative of a community-based | ||
| organization providing direct services to asylum-seeking children | ||
| in this state; | ||
| (3) one member who is a superintendent of a school | ||
| district providing direct services to asylum-seeking children in | ||
| this state; | ||
| (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; and | ||
| (8) one representative of a foundation that invests in | ||
| humanitarian relief efforts for asylum-seeking children in this | ||
| state. | ||
| Sec. 403.504. MEETINGS. (a) The task force shall meet in | ||
| person 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 children in this state. | ||
| (b) The task force shall submit the report to the governor, | ||
| lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and | ||
| comptroller. The task force shall also submit the report to the | ||
| president of the United States, the secretary of the United States | ||
| Department of Health and Human Services, the secretary of the | ||
| United States Department of Education, and each member of the Texas | ||
| delegation to the United States Senate and House of | ||
| Representatives. | ||
| 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 December 31, 2018. | ||
| SECTION 2. (a) Not later than December 31, 2017, 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. | ||
| (b) If the comptroller of public accounts convenes the task | ||
| force under Subsection (a) of this section, not later than October | ||
| 1, 2018, the task force shall submit the report 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, 2017. | ||
