By:  Dutton                                            H.B. No. 505
       73R2349 CLG-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the establishment of the Commission on Economically
    1-3  Disadvantaged and Minority Youth.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 3, Human Resources Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding Chapter 72 to read as follows:
    1-7       CHAPTER 72.  COMMISSION ON ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND
    1-8                            MINORITY YOUTH
    1-9        Sec. 72.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
   1-10              (1)  "Commission" means the Commission on Economically
   1-11  Disadvantaged and Minority Youth.
   1-12              (2)  "Economically disadvantaged person" means a
   1-13  person:
   1-14                    (A)  who receives, or is a member of a family
   1-15  that receives, aid to families with dependent children under
   1-16  Chapter 31;
   1-17                    (B)  who is a foster child who receives state or
   1-18  local government payments;
   1-19                    (C)  whose individual or family income is equal
   1-20  to or less than:
   1-21                          (i)  the poverty level determined in
   1-22  accordance with criteria established by the director of the Office
   1-23  of Management and Budget; or
   1-24                          (ii)  70 percent of the lower living
    2-1  standard income level.
    2-2              (3)  "Minority" means black Americans, Hispanic
    2-3  Americans, Asian Americans, and American Indians.
    2-4              (4)  "Youth" means a person who is at least 18 years of
    2-5  age but younger than 23 years of age.
    2-6        Sec. 72.002.  COMMISSION.  (a)  The Commission on
    2-7  Economically Disadvantaged and Minority Youth is established.
    2-8        (b)  The commission is composed of:
    2-9              (1)  one public member appointed by the governor;
   2-10              (2)  two senators appointed by the lieutenant governor;
   2-11              (3)  two members of the house of representatives
   2-12  appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and
   2-13              (4)  an officer or employee of the following state
   2-14  agencies, appointed by the commissioner, executive director, or
   2-15  administrator of that agency:
   2-16                    (A)  Texas Youth Commission;
   2-17                    (B)  Texas Juvenile Probation Commission;
   2-18                    (C)  Texas Employment Commission; and
   2-19                    (D)  Texas Department of Human Services.
   2-20        (c)  A member of the commission must be a person who has
   2-21  expertise in or has actively participated in health issues as those
   2-22  issues relate to minorities.
   2-23        (d)  The members of the commission appointed by the governor,
   2-24  lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives
   2-25  shall hold an annual meeting immediately after the member agencies
   2-26  appoint new members to consider if the ethnic composition of the
   2-27  commission adequately represents the ethnic population of the
    3-1  state.  The members appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor,
    3-2  and speaker of the house of representatives may, by majority vote,
    3-3  require a member agency to appoint a new person to the commission
    3-4  to change the membership of the commission to adequately reflect
    3-5  the ethnic population of the state.
    3-6        (e)  Commission members serve staggered two-year terms.
    3-7        Sec. 72.003.  PRESIDING OFFICER.  The commission shall
    3-8  annually elect one of its members as presiding officer.
    3-9        Sec. 72.004.  COMPENSATION.  A member of the commission may
   3-10  not receive compensation for service on the commission but is
   3-11  entitled to receive reimbursement for necessary expenses incurred
   3-12  for services as a member of the commission.
   3-13        Sec. 72.005.  MEETINGS.  The commission shall meet at least
   3-14  four times a year at the call of the presiding officer.
   3-15        Sec. 72.006.  DUTIES.  The commission shall:
   3-16              (1)  identify and analyze issues relating to the
   3-17  education and self-esteem of economically disadvantaged and
   3-18  minority youth;
   3-19              (2)  analyze the effectiveness of state or federal job
   3-20  training programs for economically disadvantaged and minority
   3-21  youth;
   3-22              (3)  analyze policies and procedures relating to
   3-23  services provided to economically disadvantaged and minority youth
   3-24  and make recommendations on how to improve those services to the
   3-25  member agencies and the legislature;
   3-26              (4)  develop a strategic plan to improve the delivery
   3-27  of services to economically disadvantaged and minority youth; and
    4-1              (5)  study and analyze the reasons for high school
    4-2  dropout rates, teen pregnancy rates, incarceration rates, and
    4-3  substance abuse rates among economically disadvantaged and minority
    4-4  youth.
    4-5        Sec. 72.007.  PAYMENT OF COSTS.  (a)  The member agencies on
    4-6  the commission shall pay the costs of the commission and shall
    4-7  provide clerical and staff support.
    4-8        (b)  The commission may accept other sources of funding and
    4-9  staff, including volunteers.
   4-10        Sec. 72.008.  PROVISION OF INFORMATION.  A state agency shall
   4-11  submit to the commission on request any information the commission
   4-12  requires under Section 72.006.
   4-13        SECTION 2.  As soon as possible after the effective date of
   4-14  this Act, the governor shall appoint one public member to serve a
   4-15  term expiring January 31, 1994.  The lieutenant governor and
   4-16  speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint the members
   4-17  from their respective houses of the legislature to serve terms
   4-18  expiring January 31, 1995.  The executive directors,
   4-19  administrators, and commissioners of the member agencies shall
   4-20  appoint the representatives from their respective agencies to serve
   4-21  terms expiring January 31, 1994.
   4-22        SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
   4-23        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
   4-24  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   4-25  emergency   and   an   imperative   public   necessity   that   the
   4-26  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   4-27  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.