| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the creation of a task force to evaluate the housing |
|
|
needs of senior citizens who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, |
|
|
transgender, queer, or questioning. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. (a) In this section, "task force" means the task |
|
|
force established under this section. |
|
|
(b) The task force is established to evaluate the housing |
|
|
needs of senior citizens who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, |
|
|
transgender, queer, or questioning and to develop potential housing |
|
|
solutions to address those needs and provide to those senior |
|
|
citizens safe, affordable housing options. In conducting the |
|
|
evaluation, the task force shall assess the evolving housing needs |
|
|
of senior citizens who may need to transition into a long-term care |
|
|
facility, including an assisted living facility or a nursing |
|
|
facility. |
|
|
(c) The task force is composed of the following 10 members: |
|
|
(1) the chair of the LGBTQ caucus of the house of |
|
|
representatives, to serve as presiding officer of the task force; |
|
|
(2) three members appointed by the governor; |
|
|
(3) three members appointed by the lieutenant |
|
|
governor; and |
|
|
(4) three members appointed by the speaker of the |
|
|
house of representatives. |
|
|
(d) In making the appointments under Subsection (c) of this |
|
|
section, the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the |
|
|
house of representatives shall each: |
|
|
(1) seek input from appropriately qualified |
|
|
organizations and stakeholders, including the Coalition for Aging |
|
|
LGBT and Equality Texas; and |
|
|
(2) appoint: |
|
|
(A) an appropriately qualified individual who is |
|
|
a representative of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, |
|
|
or questioning community; |
|
|
(B) an individual with appropriate expertise on |
|
|
issues faced by the aging population, which may be a representative |
|
|
of the Coalition for Aging LGBT, assisted living facilities, or |
|
|
nursing facilities; and |
|
|
(C) an individual with appropriate expertise in |
|
|
the area of public safety and housing, which may be a representative |
|
|
of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. |
|
|
(e) The governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the |
|
|
house of representatives shall each make the appointments required |
|
|
by Subsection (c) of this section not later than November 1, 2021. |
|
|
(f) The task force shall meet at the call of the presiding |
|
|
officer. The task force may meet in person or by electronic means. |
|
|
(g) A task force member is not entitled to compensation for |
|
|
service on the task force but may be reimbursed for actual and |
|
|
necessary expenses incurred in performing task force duties. The |
|
|
task force may accept gifts, grants, and donations to pay for those |
|
|
expenses. |
|
|
(h) Not later than September 1, 2022, the task force shall |
|
|
prepare and submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the |
|
|
legislature, and the Texas Department of Housing and Community |
|
|
Affairs a written report summarizing the results of the evaluation |
|
|
conducted under Subsection (b) of this section and proposing |
|
|
potential housing solutions, including any legislative |
|
|
recommendations. |
|
|
(i) The task force is abolished and this Act expires |
|
|
December 1, 2022. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |