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.