H.B. No. 3466

AN ACT

relating to the administration of certain programs regarding Holocaust Remembrance Week and the establishment and expansion of community collaboratives.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 29.90725 to read as follows:

Sec. 29.90725. SURVEY ON HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE WEEK INSTRUCTION. (a) In this section, "advisory commission" means the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission.

(b) The advisory commission, with the assistance of the agency, shall conduct a survey of school districts to review the implementation at each district of Holocaust Remembrance Week instruction under Section 29.9072.

(c) The survey must request information from at least half of the campuses in a surveyed school district regarding Holocaust Remembrance Week instruction, including:

(1) the extent to which the campus participates in Holocaust Remembrance Week;

(2) the familiarity of the educators and administrators at each campus with the materials and resources available from the advisory commission and other local institutions dedicated to Holocaust education to support instruction during Holocaust Remembrance Week; and

(3) any additional materials or resources the campus would find useful to support instruction during Holocaust Remembrance Week, including professional development for educators, lesson plans, or other classroom resources.

(d) Not later than December 1, 2024, the advisory commission shall submit to the legislature a written report that includes the survey's findings and any recommendations for legislative or other action.

(e) This section expires September 1, 2025.

SECTION 2. Sections 539.002(a) and (b), Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) To the extent funds are appropriated to the department for that purpose, the department shall make grants to entities, including local governmental entities, nonprofit community organizations, and faith-based community organizations, to establish or expand community collaboratives that bring the public and private sectors together to provide services to persons experiencing homelessness, substance abuse issues, or mental illness. In awarding grants, the department shall give special consideration to entities:

(1) establishing new collaboratives; [or]

(2) establishing or expanding collaboratives that serve two or more counties, each with a population of less than 100,000; or

(3) providing services to an average of at least 50 percent of persons experiencing homelessness in a geographic area served by a Continuum of Care Program funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development according to the last three Point-in-Time surveys of homelessness conducted by that department.

(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), the department shall require each entity awarded a grant under this section to:

(1) leverage additional funding or in-kind contributions from private contributors or local governments, excluding state or federal funds, in an amount that is at least equal to the amount of the grant awarded under this section;

(2) provide evidence of significant coordination and collaboration between the entity, local mental health authorities, municipalities, local law enforcement agencies, and other community stakeholders in establishing or expanding a community collaborative funded by a grant awarded under this section; and

(3) provide evidence of a local law enforcement policy to divert appropriate persons from jails, [or] other detention facilities, or mental health facilities operated by or under contract with the commission to an entity affiliated with a community collaborative for the purpose of providing services to those persons.

SECTION 3. Chapter 539, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 539.010 to read as follows:

Sec. 539.010. BIENNIAL REPORT. (a) The department shall prepare a report that includes:

(1) the method by which the department chose entities to award grants to under this chapter;

(2) the amount of each grant awarded to an entity under this chapter;

(3) the number of individuals served by each community collaborative receiving grant funds under this chapter; and

(4) the results of the annual review of outcome measures required by Section 539.006.

(b) Not later than September 1 of each even-numbered year, the department shall submit a report described by Subsection (a) to:

(1) the lieutenant governor;

(2) the speaker of the house of representatives;

(3) the standing committees of the legislature having primary jurisdiction over the department and state finance; and

(4) the Legislative Budget Board.

SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act to Section 539.002, Government Code, apply only to a grant awarded on or after the effective date of this Act. A grant awarded before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the award was made, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 3466 was passed by the House on April 28, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 96, Nays 50, 2 present, not voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. No. 3466 on May 26, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 108, Nays 29, 3 present, not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 3466 was passed by the Senate, with amendments, on May 24, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: __________________

Date

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Governor