By Jones of Dallas                              H.B. No. 3093

      75R4992 KKA-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the creation of pilot programs to determine if certain

 1-3     social services are provided in appropriate geographical areas.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  (a)  The Texas Department of Human Services and

 1-6     the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse by rule shall

 1-7     establish separate pilot programs to determine if the respective

 1-8     services provided by the agency are available in appropriate

 1-9     geographical areas.

1-10           (b)  The department and commission shall implement the pilot

1-11     program required by Subsection (a) in at least three counties

1-12     selected by the department or commission, respectively.  In each

1-13     county in which the department or commission establishes the pilot

1-14     program, the department or commission, as appropriate, shall:

1-15                 (1)  keep records of the name, age, gender, and

1-16     residential zip code of each person who receives services directly

1-17     from the agency or indirectly from a provider acting on behalf of

1-18     the agency; and

1-19                 (2)  analyze the records to determine if services are

1-20     being provided in geographical areas that are reasonably accessible

1-21     and convenient to recipients of those services.

1-22           (c)  Not later than January 15, 1999, the department and

1-23     commission shall submit to the governor and the legislature

1-24     separate reports on the pilot program conducted by the department

 2-1     or commission, respectively, and the extent to which services are

 2-2     provided by the agency in appropriate geographical areas, as

 2-3     indicated by information gathered under the program.

 2-4           SECTION 2.  This Act expires September 1, 1999.

 2-5           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-6     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-7     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-8     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-9     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

2-10     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

2-11     passage, and it is so enacted.