By Raymond H.B. No. 1649 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1649: By Maxey C.S.H.B. No. 1649 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the development and implementation of an electronic 1-3 data processing system to expedite payments to certain child-care 1-4 providers. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Chapter 22, Human Resources Code, is amended by 1-7 adding Section 22.026 to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 22.026. ELECTRONIC CHILD-CARE DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM. 1-9 (a) To expedite payments to child-care providers who participate 1-10 in the child-care management system, the department shall develop 1-11 and implement a system that uses an electronic scanner or another 1-12 form of electronic technology to process data, including attendance 1-13 data, that is necessary for the department to administer child-care 1-14 programs provided by or on behalf of the department through the 1-15 child-care management system. 1-16 (b) In developing and implementing a system under this 1-17 section, the department shall: 1-18 (1) choose the most cost-effective method for 1-19 processing the data; and 1-20 (2) monitor, in conjunction with regional child-care 1-21 management system contractors, the accuracy of the data to be 1-22 processed by the system using the method developed by the 1-23 department with the assistance of any applicable work group. 1-24 (c) The department may contract with a state agency, a 2-1 public entity, or a private person or entity to implement the 2-2 system under this section. 2-3 SECTION 2. (a) The Work Group on Child-Care Electronic Data 2-4 Processing is created to advise and assist the Texas Department of 2-5 Human Services in developing the system required by Section 22.026, 2-6 Human Resources Code, as added by this Act. 2-7 (b) The work group is composed of: 2-8 (1) a representative of the Health and Human Services 2-9 Commission, appointed by the commissioner of health and human 2-10 services; 2-11 (2) a representative of the Texas Department of Human 2-12 Services, appointed by the commissioner of human services; 2-13 (3) a representative of the comptroller's office, 2-14 appointed by the comptroller; 2-15 (4) a child-care management system contractor, 2-16 appointed by the commissioner of health and human services; and 2-17 (5) technical experts with knowledge in electronic 2-18 data processing, appointed by the commissioner of health and human 2-19 services. 2-20 (c) The representative of the Health and Human Services 2-21 Commission shall serve as the presiding officer. 2-22 (d) The work group shall meet at least once each month at 2-23 the call of the presiding officer. 2-24 (e) The appointing agency or office is responsible for the 2-25 expenses of a member's service on the work group. Members of the 2-26 work group receive no additional compensation for serving on the 2-27 work group. 3-1 (f) The work group shall assist the Texas Department of 3-2 Human Services in developing a method to monitor the accuracy of 3-3 the data processed by the department through the system developed 3-4 by the department under Section 22.026, Human Resources Code, as 3-5 added by this Act. 3-6 (g) This section expires September 1, 1996. 3-7 SECTION 3. Not later than March 1, 1996, the Texas 3-8 Department of Human Services shall develop the system required by 3-9 Section 22.026, Human Resources Code, as added by this Act. 3-10 SECTION 4. Not later than September 1, 1995, the 3-11 commissioner of health and human services, the commissioner of 3-12 human services, and the comptroller shall designate their 3-13 representatives to the Work Group on Child-Care Electronic Data 3-14 Processing. 3-15 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the 3-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-20 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-21 passage, and it is so enacted.