1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to eligibility determination and service delivery of
1-3 health and human services.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 9.12, Chapter 655, Acts of the 74th
1-6 Legislature, Regular Session, 1995, is amended by amending
1-7 Subsections (a), (b), and (d) and adding Subsections (f) and (g) to
1-8 read as follows:
1-9 (a) In consultation and coordination with the Texas
1-10 Integrated Enrollment Services Legislative Oversight Committee
1-11 established under Section 531.202, Government Code, the Health and
1-12 Human Services Commission, subject to the approval of the governor
1-13 and the Legislative Budget Board, shall develop and implement a
1-14 plan for the integration of services and functions relating to
1-15 eligibility determination and service delivery by health and human
1-16 services agencies, the Texas Workforce Commission, and other
1-17 agencies. [Not later than September 1, 1996, the Health and Human
1-18 Services Commission, subject to the availability of funds to the
1-19 commission and to health and human services agencies, shall have
1-20 completed the development and substantial implementation of a plan
1-21 for an integrated eligibility determination and service delivery
1-22 system for health and human services at the local and regional
1-23 levels.] The plan must include a reengineering of eligibility
1-24 determination business processes, streamlined service delivery, a
2-1 unified and integrated process for the transition from welfare to
2-2 work, and improved access to benefits and services for clients. In
2-3 developing and implementing the plan, the Health and Human Services
2-4 Commission:
2-5 (1) shall give priority to the design and development
2-6 of computer hardware and software for and provide technical support
2-7 relating to the integrated eligibility determination system;
2-8 (2) shall consult with agencies whose programs are
2-9 included in the plan, including the Texas Department of Human
2-10 Services, the Texas Department of Health, and the Texas Workforce
2-11 Commission;
2-12 (3) may contract for appropriate professional and
2-13 technical assistance; and
2-14 (4) may use the staff and resources of agencies whose
2-15 programs are included in the plan [shall specify the dates by which
2-16 all elements of the plan must be implemented].
2-17 (b) The integrated eligibility determination and service
2-18 delivery system shall be developed and implemented to achieve
2-19 increased quality of and client access to services and [at least a
2-20 one-percent] savings in the cost of providing administrative and
2-21 other services and staff resulting from streamlining and
2-22 eliminating duplication of services. The commission, subject to
2-23 any spending limitation prescribed in the General Appropriations
2-24 Act, may [shall] use the resulting savings to further develop the
2-25 integrated system and to provide other health and human services.
2-26 (d) On receipt by the state of any necessary federal
2-27 approval and subject to the approval of the governor and the
3-1 Legislative Budget Board [In consultation and coordination with the
3-2 State Council on Competitive Government, the commission shall make
3-3 and implement recommendations on services or functions of the
3-4 integrated eligibility determination and service delivery system
3-5 that could be provided more effectively through the use of
3-6 competitive bidding or by contracting with local governments and
3-7 other appropriate entities. If the commission determines that
3-8 private contracting may be effective], the commission may contract
3-9 for implementation of all or part of the plan required by
3-10 Subsection (a) of this section if the commission determines that
3-11 contracting may advance the objectives of Subsections (a) and (b)
3-12 of this section and meets the criteria set out in the cost-benefit
3-13 analysis described in this subsection. Before the awarding of a
3-14 contract, the commission shall provide a detailed cost-benefit
3-15 analysis to the governor, the Legislative Budget Board, and the
3-16 Texas Integrated Enrollment Services Legislative Oversight
3-17 Committee established under Section 531.202, Government Code. The
3-18 analysis must demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of the plan,
3-19 mechanisms for monitoring performance under the plan, and specific
3-20 improvements to the service delivery system and client access made
3-21 by the plan. The commission shall make the analysis available to
3-22 the public. Within 10 days after the release of a request for
3-23 bids, proposals, offers, or other applicable expressions of
3-24 interest relating to the development or implementation of the plan
3-25 required by Subsection (a) of this section, the commission shall
3-26 hold a public hearing and receive public comment on the request.
3-27 The commission may coordinate with a legislative committee to hold
4-1 the hearings [automate the determination of client eligibility by
4-2 contracting with a private firm to conduct application processing].
4-3 (f) If requested by the Health and Human Services
4-4 Commission, the agencies whose programs are included in the plan
4-5 required by Subsection (a) of this section shall cooperate with the
4-6 commission to provide available staff and resources that will be
4-7 subject to the direction of the commission.
4-8 (g) The design, development, and operation of an automated
4-9 data processing system to support the plan required by Subsection
4-10 (a) of this section may be financed through the issuance of bonds
4-11 or other obligations under the Texas Public Finance Authority Act
4-12 (Article 601d, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes).
4-13 SECTION 2. Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by
4-14 adding Subchapter D to read as follows:
4-15 SUBCHAPTER D. LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT
4-16 Sec. 531.201. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "committee"
4-17 means the Texas Integrated Enrollment Services Legislative
4-18 Oversight Committee.
4-19 Sec. 531.202. COMPOSITION OF COMMITTEE; PRESIDING OFFICER.
4-20 (a) The committee is composed of:
4-21 (1) three members of the senate appointed by the
4-22 lieutenant governor; and
4-23 (2) three members of the house of representatives
4-24 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
4-25 (b) A member of the committee serves at the pleasure of the
4-26 appointing official.
4-27 (c) The lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of
5-1 representatives shall appoint the presiding officer of the
5-2 committee on an alternating basis. The presiding officer shall
5-3 serve a two-year term expiring February 1 of each odd-numbered
5-4 year.
5-5 Sec. 531.203. COMMITTEE POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The
5-6 committee shall:
5-7 (1) meet at the call of the presiding officer;
5-8 (2) receive information about rules proposed or
5-9 adopted by the commission;
5-10 (3) review specific recommendations for legislation
5-11 proposed by the commission; and
5-12 (4) hold public hearings concerning the development
5-13 and implementation of the plan required by Section 9.12(a), Chapter
5-14 655, Acts of the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995, in at
5-15 least four geographically diverse locations in the state.
5-16 (b) The committee shall advise the commission in the
5-17 development of the plan and monitor the implementation and
5-18 efficiency of the Texas Integrated Enrollment Services.
5-19 (c) The commission shall, at the committee's request,
5-20 provide reports and other information relating to the operation of
5-21 the integrated enrollment system.
5-22 (d) The committee may use staff of standing committees in
5-23 the senate and house of representatives with appropriate
5-24 jurisdiction, the Department of Information Resources, the state
5-25 auditor, the Texas Legislative Council, and the Legislative Budget
5-26 Board in carrying out its responsibilities.
5-27 Sec. 531.204. REPORT. (a) The committee shall report to
6-1 the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of
6-2 representatives not later than December 31 of each year.
6-3 (b) The report must include:
6-4 (1) identification of significant problems in the
6-5 Texas Integrated Enrollment Services, with recommendations for
6-6 action by the commissioner;
6-7 (2) the status of the effectiveness of the Texas
6-8 Integrated Enrollment Services in providing necessary services to
6-9 the people of this state, with recommendations for any necessary
6-10 research; and
6-11 (3) recommendations for legislative action.
6-12 Sec. 531.205. DURATION OF COMMITTEE. The committee is
6-13 abolished September 1, 2002.
6-14 SECTION 3. Sections 11(d) and 12, Chapter 885, Acts of the
6-15 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995, are repealed.
6-16 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
6-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
6-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
6-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
6-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
6-21 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
6-22 passage, and it is so enacted.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2777 was passed by the House on May
1, 1997, by a non-record vote; that the House refused to concur in
Senate amendments to H.B. No. 2777 on May 22, 1997, and requested
the appointment of a conference committee to consider the
differences between the two houses; and that the House adopted the
conference committee report on H.B. No. 2777 on May 29, 1997, by
the following vote: Yeas 147, Nays 0, 1 present, not voting.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2777 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 20, 1997, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference
committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and
that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.
2777 on May 30, 1997, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor