BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 2660 By: Hilderbran 04-19-95 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND Federal funds through the Older Americans Act provide an array of services for Texans aged 60 and up, under the administration of the Texas Department on Aging (TDOA). The Department in turn delegates responsibility for service delivery to local area agencies on aging who provide nutrition, transportation, and related services to the elderly either directly or through contracts with public and private providers. In most parts of the state, the 28 area agencies on aging (AAAs) operate as part of one of the 24 regional councils of government (COGs). Funding for AAAs derives from the Older Americans Act through TDOA, and through state and local resources as well. In an effort to reorganize health and human services in Texas, the 72nd Legislature enacted H.B. 7 in 1991, directing the Health & Human Services Commission (HHSC) to establish eleven (11) health & human services regions for planning and organizing the functions of the state health & human services agencies under the HHSC umbrella. Although TDOA is represented among the umbrella agencies, the 28 AAAs are not specifically organized to function within the 11 regions, resulting in confusion regarding how best to coordinate services delivered by the AAAs. PURPOSE H.B. 2660 would provide the AAAs with a specified role in the planning of health & human services delivery, permitting aggregation of data and coordination of services for the elderly at the local level. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY H.B. 2660 grants the Texas Dept. on Aging new rulemaking authority in Sec. 101.032(a) relating to the submission of plans and data relative to the services delivered by AAAs to elderly Texans. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Declares short title for this Act, the Older Texans' Regional Coordination Act. SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 101, Human Resources Code, by adding new Section 101.032 as follows: Sec. 101.032. AREA AGENCIES ON AGING. (a) Requires the largest area agency on aging (AAA) in each of the 11 health & human services regions to aggregate plans and data on services to the elderly for submission to the Texas Dept. on Aging (TD0A) for incorporation into the Department's strategic plan. Prohibits TDOA from allocating additional funds to AAA to carry out this task. Requires TDOA to adopt rules relating to the submission of this information. (b) Unless otherwise authorized by the legislature, the LBB or the Commissioner of the Health & Human Services Comm'n, requires TDOA to decentralize its services through AAAs designated by TDOA as of January 1, 1995, with AAA boundaries maintained consistent with the planning areas of the councils of government. (c) Holds AAAs within each HHSC region jointly responsible for coordinating their own services within the region. SECTION 3. Emergency clause, effective in 90 days. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The substitute version of H.B. 2660 requires AAAs to prepare data relating to service delivery for submission to TDOA rather than require the state agency to employ a person to aggredate the information. The revised language should eliminate the fiscal note on the original bill. Additionally, the substitute recognized that regional boundaries may need to reflect changes in federal laws if block grants and other similar revisions occur. The substitute allows the legislature, the LBB and the HHSC to change boundaries as necessary. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION The House Human Services Committee convened in a public hearing on April 3, 1995, and the Chairman laid out H.B. 2660 by Rep. Hilderbran and explained the bill. The following witnesses testified for H.B. 2660: Al S. Notzen, Alamo Area Council of Governments Bill Lofland, representing himself and the Texas Ass'n of Regional Councils Paul Edwards, Middle Rio Grande Development Council Brad Helbert, Abilene Jim Ray, Texas Ass'n of Regional Councils (Councils of Governments) The following witness testified against H.B. 2660: Jose Camacho, Austin. The following witness testified as neutral on H.B. 2660: Anita Bradberry, Texas Ass'n for Home Care. H.B. 2660 was left pending. On April 19, the committee considered H.B. 2660 which had been pending. The Chairman offered a committee substitute and recognized Rep. Krusee who moved adoption. Hearing no objection, the substitute for H.B. 2660 was adopted. Rep. Krusee also moved to report H.B. 2660 favorably as substituted and the motion prevailed by a record vote of 9 Ayes, 0 Nays, 0 PNV and 0 Absent.