73R8627 KLL-F
          By Giddings                                           H.B. No. 2734
          Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2734:
          By McCall                                         C.S.H.B. No. 2734
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the office of minority health.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Chapter 12, Health and Safety Code, is amended by
    1-5  adding Subchapter G to read as follows:
    1-6               SUBCHAPTER G.  OFFICE OF MINORITY HEALTH
    1-7        Sec. 12.081.  OFFICE OF MINORITY HEALTH.  The department
    1-8  shall establish and maintain an office of minority health in the
    1-9  department to:
   1-10              (1)  assume a leadership role in working or contracting
   1-11  with state and federal agencies, universities, private interest
   1-12  groups, communities, foundations, and offices of minority health to
   1-13  develop minority health initiatives, including bilingual
   1-14  communications; and
   1-15              (2)  maximize use of existing resources without
   1-16  duplicating existing efforts.
   1-17        Sec. 12.082.  POWERS OF OFFICE.  The office may:
   1-18              (1)  provide a central information and referral source
   1-19  and serve as the primary state resource in coordinating, planning,
   1-20  and advocating access to minority health care services in this
   1-21  state;
   1-22              (2)  coordinate conferences and other training
   1-23  opportunities to increase skills among state agencies and
    2-1  government staff in management and in the appreciation of cultural
    2-2  diversity;
    2-3              (3)  pursue and administer grant funds for innovative
    2-4  projects for communities, groups, and individuals;
    2-5              (4)  provide recommendations and training in improving
    2-6  minority recruitment in state agencies;
    2-7              (5)  publicize minority health issues through the use
    2-8  of the media;
    2-9              (6)  network with existing minority organizations;
   2-10              (7)  solicit, receive, and spend grants, gifts, and
   2-11  donations from public and private sources; and
   2-12              (8)  contract with public and private entities in the
   2-13  performance of its responsibilities.
   2-14        Sec. 12.083.  FUNDING.  The department may distribute to the
   2-15  office unobligated and unexpended appropriations to be used to
   2-16  carry out its powers.
   2-17        Sec. 12.084.  REPORT TO LEGISLATURE.  Not later than January
   2-18  1 of each odd-numbered year, the office shall submit a biennial
   2-19  report to the legislature regarding the activities of the office
   2-20  and any findings and recommendations relating to minority health
   2-21  issues.
   2-22        SECTION 2.  (a)  Chapter 107, Health and Safety Code, and
   2-23  Chapter 136, Human Resources Code, are repealed.
   2-24        (b)  On the effective date of this Act, all records,
   2-25  property, and equipment in the possession of the Council on
    3-1  Minority Health Affairs shall be transferred to the office of
    3-2  minority health.
    3-3        (c)  The office of minority health shall use all paper and
    3-4  forms transferred from the Council on Minority Health Affairs
    3-5  before ordering or purchasing new paper and forms.
    3-6        SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
    3-7        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
    3-8  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    3-9  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   3-10  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   3-11  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.