By Naishtat H.B. No. 2706
74R2337 KLL-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the powers and duties of the Health and Human Services
1-3 Commission concerning an integrated eligibility determination and
1-4 service delivery system for health and human services.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. (a) Not later than September 1, 1996, the Health
1-7 and Human Services Commission shall develop and implement a plan
1-8 for an integrated eligibility determination and service delivery
1-9 system for health and human services at the local and regional
1-10 levels.
1-11 (b) The system shall be developed and implemented to achieve
1-12 at least a one percent savings in the costs of providing
1-13 administrative and other services and staff resulting from
1-14 streamlining and eliminating duplication of services. The
1-15 commission shall use the resulting savings to further develop the
1-16 integrated system and to provide other health and human services.
1-17 (c) The commission shall report savings resulting from
1-18 implementation of the plan to local, state, and federal agencies.
1-19 (d) In consultation and coordination with the State Council
1-20 on Competitive Government, the commission shall make and implement
1-21 recommendations on services or functions that could be provided
1-22 more effectively by an entity other than the state through the use
1-23 of competitive bidding or by contracting with local governments and
1-24 other appropriate entities.
2-1 (e) Not later than October 1, 1996, the commission shall
2-2 develop a plan to further consolidate administrative and service
2-3 delivery functions to eliminate any remaining duplication. The
2-4 plan must include a feasibility study concerning a consolidated
2-5 data center for health and human services agencies. The commission
2-6 shall prepare a report of the plan for submission to the 75th
2-7 Legislature when it convenes.
2-8 SECTION 2. A group composed of the following persons shall
2-9 oversee the Health and Human Services Commission's development and
2-10 implementation of the plan for an integrated eligibility
2-11 determination and service delivery system:
2-12 (1) a representative from the governor's office,
2-13 designated by the governor;
2-14 (2) a representative from the lieutenant governor's
2-15 office, designated by the lieutenant governor;
2-16 (3) a representative from the office of the speaker of
2-17 the house of representatives, designated by the speaker;
2-18 (4) a representative from the comptroller's office,
2-19 designated by the comptroller; and
2-20 (5) a representative from the Legislative Budget
2-21 Board, designated by the director of the Legislative Budget Board.
2-22 SECTION 3. Section 10(d), Article 4413(502), Revised
2-23 Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
2-24 (d) All health and human services agencies shall submit
2-25 strategic plans and biennial updates to the commission on a date to
2-26 be determined by commission rule. The strategic plans and biennial
2-27 updates are subject to commission modification and approval.
3-1 SECTION 4. Section 13, Article 4413(502), Revised Statutes,
3-2 is amended to read as follows:
3-3 Sec. 13. Consolidated Health and Human Services Budget.
3-4 (a) The commission has comprehensive budget and planning authority
3-5 for health and human services agencies in order to establish an
3-6 integrated eligibility determination and service delivery system.
3-7 (b) The commission shall prepare and submit to the
3-8 Legislative Budget Board and the governor by October 15 of
3-9 even-numbered years a consolidated health and human services budget
3-10 recommendation.
3-11 (c) <(b)> The commission shall base the consolidated budget
3-12 recommendation prepared under this article on priorities set in the
3-13 commission's coordinated strategic plan for health and human
3-14 services.
3-15 (d) <(c)> All health and human services agencies shall
3-16 submit to the commission a biennial agency legislative
3-17 appropriations request on a date to be determined by commission
3-18 rule.
3-19 (e) The commission shall approve each agency legislative
3-20 appropriations request before submission to the legislature. A
3-21 health and human services agency may not modify its budget and plan
3-22 without approval by the commission.
3-23 (f) The commission may modify an agency legislative
3-24 appropriations request as the commission determines necessary to
3-25 provide the most efficient integrated eligibility determination and
3-26 service delivery system possible.
3-27 (g) The commission may use existing staff of a health and
4-1 human services agency to perform its functions under this section.
4-2 SECTION 5. Article 4413(502), Revised Statutes, is amended
4-3 by adding Sections 13A, 13B, and 13C to read as follows:
4-4 Sec. 13A. APPROPRIATIONS AND TRANSFERS. (a) The
4-5 legislature shall appropriate funds for the purposes of a health
4-6 and human services agency to the commission. The appropriated
4-7 funds may be expended on vouchers approved by the appropriate
4-8 officer of the health and human services agency pursuant to a
4-9 budget approved for that purpose by the commission.
4-10 (b) To the extent not inconsistent with federal or other
4-11 state law, the commission may transfer or allocate appropriated
4-12 funds among health and human services agencies and among programs
4-13 of a health and human services agency as necessary to provide the
4-14 most efficient integrated eligibility determination and service
4-15 delivery system and to maximize the amount of federal funds for
4-16 which the state may be eligible.
4-17 Sec. 13B. FEDERAL FUNDS. (a) Any operational or funding
4-18 plan or modification to that plan prepared by a health and human
4-19 services agency designated as the single state agency to administer
4-20 federal funds is subject to commission approval.
4-21 (b) The commission shall evaluate the feasibility of
4-22 designating the commission as the single state agency for federal
4-23 funds received for a health and human services purpose.
4-24 (c) For the purpose of promoting integrated, community-based
4-25 service delivery systems, the commission may consolidate federal
4-26 funds to be given to local communities for the provision of health
4-27 and human services.
5-1 Sec. 13C. AUTOMATED SYSTEMS. Any appropriation made for the
5-2 purpose of acquiring, developing, and implementing automation
5-3 systems, including an automated system for integrated client
5-4 eligibility determinations, shall be made to the commission for
5-5 expenditure only by the commission and not by a health and human
5-6 services agency.
5-7 SECTION 6. The changes in law made by Section 4 of this Act
5-8 apply to legislative appropriations requests made on or after
5-9 September 1, 1995. The changes in law made by Section 5 of this
5-10 Act apply beginning with appropriations made for the fiscal year
5-11 beginning September 1, 1995.
5-12 SECTION 7. The importance of this legislation and the
5-13 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
5-14 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
5-15 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
5-16 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
5-17 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
5-18 passage, and it is so enacted.