Bill Text: TX SB1917 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Comm Sub

Texas Senate Bill 1917 (Prior Session Legislation)

TX State Legislature page for SB1917

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Relating to a public outreach campaign for aging adults with visual impairments.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Passed) 2021-06-18 - Effective on 9/1/21 [SB1917 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-SB1917-Comm_Sub.html



	By: Lucio, et al.	S.B. No. 1917

	(Meza)


	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to a public outreach campaign for aging adults with visual
	impairments.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 531.0319 to read as follows:
	Sec. 531.0319. OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS FOR AGING ADULTS WITH
	VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS. (a) The commission, in collaboration with the
	Texas State Library and Archives Commission and other appropriate
	state agencies, shall conduct public awareness and education
	outreach campaigns designed to provide information relating to the
	programs and resources available to aging adults who are blind or
	visually impaired in this state. The campaigns must be:
	(1) tailored to targeted populations, including:
	(A) aging adults with or at risk of blindness or
	visual impairment and the families and caregivers of those adults;
	(B) health care providers, including home and
	community-based services providers, health care facilities, and
	emergency medical services providers;
	(C) community and faith-based organizations; and
	(D) the general public; and
	(2) disseminated through methods appropriate for each
	targeted population, including by:
	(A) attending health fairs; and
	(B) working with organizations or groups that
	serve aging adults, including community clinics, libraries,
	support groups for aging adults, veterans organizations,
	for-profit providers of vision services, and the state and local
	chapters of the National Federation of the Blind.
	(b) To support campaigns conducted under this section, the
	commission shall:
	(1) establish a toll-free telephone number for
	providing counseling and referrals to appropriate services for
	aging adults who are blind or visually impaired;
	(2) post on the commission's Internet website
	information and training resources for aging adults, community
	stakeholders, and health care and other service providers that
	generally serve aging adults, including:
	(A) links to Internet websites that contain
	resources for persons who are blind or visually impaired;
	(B) existing videos that provide awareness of
	blindness and visual impairments among aging adults and the
	importance of early intervention;
	(C) best practices for referring aging adults at
	risk of blindness or visual impairment for appropriate services;
	and
	(D) training about resources available for aging
	adults who are blind or visually impaired for the staff of aging and
	disability resource centers established under the Aging and
	Disability Resource Center initiative funded in part by the federal
	Administration on Aging and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
	Services;
	(3) designate a contact in the commission to assist
	aging adults who are diagnosed with a visual impairment and are
	losing vision and the families of those adults with locating and
	obtaining appropriate services; and
	(4) encourage awareness of the reading services for
	persons who are blind or visually impaired that are offered by the
	Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
	(c) The executive commissioner may adopt rules necessary to
	implement this section.
	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.