Bill Text: TX SB1693 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to a study of seniors with a visual impairment by the Aging Texas Well Advisory Committee.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-06-09 - Effective immediately [SB1693 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB1693-Enrolled.html
S.B. No. 1693 |
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relating to a study of seniors with a visual impairment by the Aging | ||
Texas Well Advisory Committee. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. (a) In this section, "advisory committee" means | ||
the Aging Texas Well Advisory Committee. | ||
(b) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human | ||
Services Commission shall direct the advisory committee to assist | ||
the commission to: | ||
(1) determine the appropriate level of independent | ||
living services for the growing number of seniors in the state with | ||
visual impairment; and | ||
(2) make recommendations on the provision of services | ||
to seniors described by Subdivision (1). | ||
(c) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, or any | ||
other law, in implementing its duties under this Act, the advisory | ||
committee may meet by telephone conference call, videoconference, | ||
or other similar telecommunication method. A meeting held by | ||
telephone conference call, videoconference, or other similar | ||
telecommunication method is subject to the requirements of Sections | ||
551.125(c), (d), (e), and (f), Government Code. | ||
(d) The advisory committee shall conduct a study to | ||
determine the projected growth and geographic distribution of | ||
seniors with a visual impairment in the next 5 to 10 years and | ||
methods for improving and expanding services, including | ||
independent living services, to those seniors. The study must: | ||
(1) identify the barriers to expanding health care | ||
services to seniors with a visual impairment; | ||
(2) include methods for expanding coordination | ||
efforts with and involvement by public and private entities; | ||
(3) recommend a training curriculum for state agency | ||
personnel who provide direct intervention and independent living | ||
services to seniors with a visual impairment; | ||
(4) identify and recommend a strategy to increase the | ||
number of state agency personnel who provide direct intervention | ||
and independent living services to seniors with a visual | ||
impairment; and | ||
(5) determine potential public and private | ||
collaborators that provide services to seniors with a visual | ||
impairment, including: | ||
(A) assessing the current level of | ||
collaboration; | ||
(B) identifying the barriers preventing a | ||
greater level of collaboration than the current level of | ||
collaboration; | ||
(C) identifying the methods, additional | ||
incentives, and additional benefits this state may offer to | ||
increase collaboration, coordination, and partnerships; | ||
(D) determining the role of public and private | ||
entities that provide services to persons with a visual impairment | ||
who are not blind; and | ||
(E) establishing methods for incentivizing | ||
private entities to provide services to seniors with a visual | ||
impairment. | ||
(e) The advisory committee shall develop, in collaboration | ||
with private entities and other organizations that assist | ||
individuals with a visual impairment, methods to publicize the | ||
services available to seniors with a visual impairment. The Health | ||
and Human Services Commission may solicit and accept funding for | ||
and contract with a private entity for implementing an advisory | ||
committee recommendation under this subsection. | ||
(f) The recommendations required by Subsection (b) of this | ||
section must be in the form of a new initiative, an immediate | ||
proposed regulatory change by a state agency, a proposed statutory | ||
amendment, or a suggested funding level. | ||
(g) The advisory committee shall develop and submit a | ||
written report on the study, publicity methods, and recommendations | ||
developed by the advisory committee to the governor, the lieutenant | ||
governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and each | ||
member of the legislature not later than November 1, 2018. | ||
(h) This Act expires June 1, 2019. | ||
SECTION 2. 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. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1693 passed the Senate on | ||
May 3, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1693 passed the House on | ||
May 24, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 2, two | ||
present not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
Approved: | ||
______________________________ | ||
Date | ||
______________________________ | ||
Governor |