By Maxey H.B. No. 863 74R2324 CBH-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to payment error rates in the food stamp and AFDC 1-3 programs. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 22, Human Resources Code, is amended by 1-6 adding Sections 22.025 and 22.026 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 22.025. ERROR-RATE REDUCTION. (a) The department 1-8 shall: 1-9 (1) set progressive goals for improving the 1-10 department's error rates in the aid to families with dependent 1-11 children and food stamp programs; and 1-12 (2) develop a specific schedule to meet those goals. 1-13 (b) Each fiscal quarter, the department shall prepare a 1-14 report detailing the progress the department has made in reaching 1-15 its goals. The report must include an analysis by region of the 1-16 department's goals and performance relating to error-rate 1-17 reduction. The department shall send a copy of the report to the 1-18 governor's office, the legislative budget office, and any 1-19 appropriate interagency task force having oversight responsibility 1-20 over welfare fraud. 1-21 (c) As appropriate, the department shall include in its 1-22 employee evaluation process a rating system that emphasizes 1-23 error-rate reduction and workload. 1-24 (d) The department shall take appropriate disciplinary 2-1 action, including dismissal, against management and other staff if 2-2 a region has a higher than average error rate and that rate is not 2-3 reduced in a reasonable period. 2-4 Sec. 22.026. REDUCTION OF CLIENT FRAUD. The department 2-5 shall: 2-6 (1) ensure that errors attributed to client fraud are 2-7 appropriate; and 2-8 (2) take immediate and appropriate action to limit any 2-9 client fraud that occurs. 2-10 SECTION 2. Section 33.002, Human Resources Code, is amended 2-11 by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows: 2-12 (g) The department may, within federal limits, modify the 2-13 one-day screening and service delivery requirements prescribed by 2-14 Subsection (e) if the department determines that the modification 2-15 is necessary to achieve a state error rate that is equal to or 2-16 below the national average error rate. 2-17 SECTION 3. Not later than September 1, 1995, the Texas 2-18 Department of Human Services shall develop a concentrated and 2-19 effective plan for the city of Houston region to reduce the 2-20 department's error rates in the aid to families with dependent 2-21 children and food stamp programs. 2-22 SECTION 4. The Texas Department of Human Services shall make 2-23 the first progress report required by Section 22.025, Human 2-24 Resources Code, as added by this Act, not later than September 1, 2-25 1995. 2-26 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the 2-27 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-1 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-2 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-3 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-4 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-5 passage, and it is so enacted.