S.B. No. 155 AN ACT 1-1 relating to the creation of the Texas Commission on Children and 1-2 Youth. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 3, Human Resources Code, is 1-5 amended by adding Chapter 71 to read as follows: 1-6 CHAPTER 71. TEXAS COMMISSION ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH 1-7 Sec. 71.001. CREATION. The Texas Commission on Children and 1-8 Youth is created. 1-9 Sec. 71.002. COMPOSITION. (a) The commission is composed 1-10 of 18 members, six of whom are appointed by the governor, six of 1-11 whom are appointed by the lieutenant governor, and six of whom are 1-12 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. Not 1-13 fewer than three of the members appointed by the lieutenant 1-14 governor shall be members of the senate and not fewer than three of 1-15 the members appointed by the speaker of the house of 1-16 representatives shall be members of the house of representatives. 1-17 (b) In making appointments under this section, the governor 1-18 shall attempt to ensure participation on the commission by women 1-19 and minorities, including African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, 1-20 Native Americans, and Asian-Americans. 1-21 (c) Each appointed member of the commission serves at the 1-22 pleasure of the official by whom the member is appointed. 1-23 (d) The governor shall designate one member to serve as 1-24 chairman and one member to serve as vice-chairman. 2-1 (e) The commission shall include as ex officio members the 2-2 executive director or commissioner of: 2-3 (1) the Central Education Agency; 2-4 (2) the Texas Youth Commission; 2-5 (3) the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission; 2-6 (4) the Department of Protective and Regulatory 2-7 Services; 2-8 (5) the Texas Department of Health; 2-9 (6) the Texas Department of Human Services; 2-10 (7) the Children's Trust Fund of Texas Council; 2-11 (8) the Health and Human Services Commission; 2-12 (9) the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; 2-13 (10) the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental 2-14 Retardation; 2-15 (11) the Texas Agricultural Extension Service; 2-16 (12) the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse; 2-17 and 2-18 (13) any other agency that the governor identifies as 2-19 an agency that serves children. 2-20 Sec. 71.003. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS. The commission is 2-21 subject to: 2-22 (1) the open meetings law, Chapter 271, Acts of the 2-23 60th Legislature, Regular Session, 1967 (Article 6252-17, Vernon's 2-24 Texas Civil Statutes), and its subsequent amendments; 2-25 (2) the open records law, Chapter 424, Acts of the 2-26 63rd Legislature, Regular Session, 1973 (Article 6252-17a, Vernon's 2-27 Texas Civil Statutes), and its subsequent amendments; and 3-1 (3) the Administrative Procedure and Texas Register 3-2 Act (Article 6252-13a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) and its 3-3 subsequent amendments. 3-4 Sec. 71.004. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The commission shall 3-5 develop a comprehensive proposal to improve and coordinate public 3-6 programs for children and to achieve the goals listed in this 3-7 section for education, health care, juvenile justice, and family 3-8 services. 3-9 (b) In education, the commission's goals are to: 3-10 (1) reduce the rate of school dropouts; 3-11 (2) increase parental involvement and accountability; 3-12 (3) review disciplinary procedures; and 3-13 (4) ensure that all children are prepared to enter the 3-14 work force on graduation. 3-15 (c) In health care, the commission's goal is to increase 3-16 access for all children to basic health care, including preventive 3-17 care, prenatal care, immunization, and mental health services. The 3-18 commission shall not study, offer proposals, or otherwise pursue 3-19 the adoption of policies or strategies related to sex education or 3-20 dissemination of or instruction concerning contraceptives or 3-21 contraceptive methods. 3-22 (d) In juvenile justice, the commission's goals are to: 3-23 (1) improve services for predelinquent children and 3-24 children at risk of becoming delinquent or in need of supervision; 3-25 (2) provide effective supervision, treatment, and 3-26 aftercare services for children in the juvenile justice system; and 3-27 (3) establish a mechanism for cooperation among 4-1 agencies that deal with juvenile crime. 4-2 (e) In family services, the commission's goals are to: 4-3 (1) improve prevention, detection, and treatment of 4-4 the abuse or neglect of children; 4-5 (2) review the rules governing foster care for 4-6 children; and 4-7 (3) recommend ways to provide child care for all 4-8 children of working parents. 4-9 (f) For each item in the proposal that is developed as 4-10 required by Subsection (a) and for each goal found in Subsections 4-11 (b), (c), (d), and (e), the commission shall study and include 4-12 comprehensive information relating to the impact of the proposals 4-13 on the parent-child relationship and include proposals that 4-14 strengthen the family unit. 4-15 (g) The commission may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and 4-16 donations for the purposes of this subchapter. 4-17 Sec. 71.005. REIMBURSEMENT. A member of the commission is 4-18 not entitled to compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for 4-19 actual and necessary expenses incurred in performing his or her 4-20 official duties. 4-21 Sec. 71.006. STAFF; CONTRACTS. (a) The commission may hire 4-22 staff as needed for research and other support services. 4-23 (b) The commission may contract with agencies of the state 4-24 or private contractors for research and other support services. 4-25 Sec. 71.007. SUBMISSION. The commission shall submit the 4-26 commission's proposal described by Section 71.003 to the governor, 4-27 the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of 5-1 representatives, and the legislature not later than December 1, 5-2 1994. 5-3 Sec. 71.008. FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING. The commission shall 5-4 file with the governor, the presiding officer of each house of the 5-5 legislature, and the legislature a complete and detailed written 5-6 report accounting for all funds received and disbursed by the 5-7 commission not later than December 15, 1994. 5-8 Sec. 71.009. COMMISSION ABOLISHED; EXPIRATION OF CHAPTER. 5-9 (a) The commission is abolished on September 1, 1995. 5-10 (b) This chapter expires on September 1, 1995. 5-11 SECTION 2. The governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of 5-12 the house of representatives shall make their appointments to the 5-13 Texas Commission on Children and Youth not later than the 31st day 5-14 after the effective date of this Act. 5-15 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 5-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 5-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 5-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 5-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 5-20 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 5-21 passage, and it is so enacted.