Bill Text: TX HB834 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs of a pilot program to solicit donations made by text message for the benefit of local programs that provide services to homeless individuals and families in certain municipalities.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-04-18 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB834 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB834-Comm_Sub.html
| 88R4421 JAM-F | ||
| By: Campos, Bernal | H.B. No. 834 | |
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| relating to the establishment by the Texas Department of Housing | ||
| and Community Affairs of a pilot program to solicit donations made | ||
| by text message for the benefit of local programs that provide | ||
| services to homeless individuals and families in certain | ||
| municipalities. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter K, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 2306.2582 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 2306.2582. HOMELESS "TEXT-TO-DONATE" PILOT PROGRAM. | ||
| (a) The department may implement and administer a pilot program to | ||
| solicit donations made by text message for the benefit of local | ||
| programs that provide services to homeless individuals and families | ||
| in municipalities with a population of 285,000 or more. If | ||
| implemented, the program shall: | ||
| (1) facilitate the process by which a person may use | ||
| text messaging to make a private donation to help homeless | ||
| individuals and families; | ||
| (2) encourage private donations to be made for the | ||
| benefit of local programs that prevent and eliminate homelessness; | ||
| and | ||
| (3) fund local programs that provide emergency housing | ||
| and transportation to homeless individuals and families. | ||
| (b) The department may adopt rules to govern the | ||
| implementation and administration of the program, including rules | ||
| that: | ||
| (1) provide for the designation of a | ||
| telecommunications carrier and text messaging service used for the | ||
| program; | ||
| (2) facilitate the acquisition of a statewide phone | ||
| number and donation code; | ||
| (3) provide the ability for an individual to make a | ||
| donation by text message in an amount chosen by the individual, to | ||
| charge the donation to the individual's phone bill or credit card, | ||
| and to select the municipality that will benefit from the donation; | ||
| (4) protect the confidentiality of donor information; | ||
| (5) establish a fund in the department to receive and | ||
| disburse money under the program; | ||
| (6) facilitate the coordination with municipalities | ||
| for the disbursement of money received under the program; | ||
| (7) establish qualifications for local organizations | ||
| to request and receive donations made through the program; and | ||
| (8) facilitate the promotion of the program to the | ||
| general public including the placement of signage in areas of a | ||
| municipality that may be impacted by large populations of homeless | ||
| persons. | ||
| (c) Of the money donated under the program, the department | ||
| shall allocate: | ||
| (1) not less than 65 percent for costs associated with | ||
| housing homeless individuals and families; | ||
| (2) not less than 20 percent for transportation costs; | ||
| (3) not less than five percent for the promotion of the | ||
| program; and | ||
| (4) not more than 10 percent for overhead and | ||
| administrative costs. | ||
| (d) The department may assign personnel to coordinate the | ||
| administration and implementation of the program. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
