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 (a) Chapter 107, Health and Safety Code, and 2-23 Chapter 136, Human Resources Code, are repealed. 2-24 (b) On the effective date of this Act, all records, 2-25 property, and equipment in the possession of the Council on 3-1 Minority Health Affairs shall be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.