1-1     By:  Van de Putte (Senate Sponsor - Madla)            H.C.R. No. 79

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 14, 1997;

 1-3     April 16, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on Health

 1-4     and Human Services; May 7, 1997, reported favorably by the

 1-5     following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 7, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                         HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-7           WHEREAS, Transportation for clients of government services in

 1-8     Texas is currently provided through 43 separate programs in 19

 1-9     state and federal agencies, causing significant duplication of

1-10     effort as well as complicating individual access to services; and

1-11           WHEREAS, Demand for community public transit is outpacing the

1-12     annual allocation of over $1.6 billion in state, federal, and local

1-13     funds; presently, an estimated 31 percent of Texans are considered

1-14     transportation disadvantaged, primarily the disabled and the

1-15     growing populations of the elderly and the poor; and

1-16           WHEREAS, The increasing number of those in need paired with a

1-17     trend of decreasing federal, state, and local funding could leave

1-18     millions of Texans stranded at home or facing major barriers in

1-19     accessing the public transportation system to buy groceries, to go

1-20     to a doctor's appointment, or to travel to state and federal

1-21     service agencies for assistance; and

1-22           WHEREAS, Community transportation brokerages, established to

1-23     administer all regional transportation services through one local

1-24     broker, provide more efficient and effective service to many

1-25     communities across the United States at a lower cost than

1-26     traditional methods; the federal government decision in 1986 to

1-27     encourage states to develop integrated transportation delivery

1-28     networks further speaks to their demonstrated benefits; and

1-29           WHEREAS, The office of client transportation services of the

1-30     Health and Human Services Commission, in consultation with the

1-31     Agency Transportation Coordinating Council, concluded, after a

1-32     series of statewide focus group meetings, that community

1-33     transportation brokerages could effectively meet the needs of

1-34     Texans; and

1-35           WHEREAS, Brokerages have the potential to meet the public

1-36     transit requirements of both urban and rural populations as well as

1-37     the agencies serving Texas by maximizing available resources,

1-38     simplifying administration and client tracking, consolidating

1-39     efforts to identify transportation shortfalls, establishing common

1-40     rate components for transit services, and assisting in targeting

1-41     and addressing barriers to use by specific client groups; now,

1-42     therefore, be it

1-43           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

1-44     hereby officially express its support of the ongoing Community

1-45     Transportation Coordination Pilot Programs and encourage the Texas

1-46     Health and Human Services Commission, the Texas Department of

1-47     Transportation, and the Agency Transportation Coordinating Council

1-48     to further their efforts to maximize and coordinate available

1-49     transportation funding and services through the existing network of

1-50     general public transportation providers in the state and by

1-51     developing a method for providing client transportation services in

1-52     those areas of the state not currently served by public

1-53     transportation; and, be it further

1-54           RESOLVED, That the results of the pilot programs and other

1-55     coordination-related activities facilitated by the Health and Human

1-56     Services Commission, the Texas Department of Transportation, the

1-57     Agency Transportation Coordinating Council, and participating

1-58     public transit systems be reported to the 76th Texas Legislature

1-59     when it convenes in January 1999; and, be it further

1-60           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official

1-61     copy of this resolution to the commissioner of health and human

1-62     services, the Texas Transportation Commission, and the members of

1-63     the Agency Transportation Coordinating Council.