By:  Zaffirini, Ellis, West                   S.B. No. 290

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to electronic assistance provided by the Health and Human

 1-2     Services Commission.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.   Subchapter A, Chapter 531, Government Code, is

 1-5     amended by adding Section 531.013 to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 531.013.  ELECTRONIC AVAILABILITY OF TECHNICAL

 1-7     ASSISTANCE.  (a)  Health and human service agencies shall, in

 1-8     conjunction with the Department of Information Resources,

 1-9     coordinate and enhance their existing Internet sites to provide

1-10     technical assistance for human services providers. The commission

1-11     shall take the lead and ensure involvement of agencies with the

1-12     greatest potential for cost savings.

1-13           (b)  Assistance under this section may include information in

1-14     the following subjects:

1-15                 (1)  case management;

1-16                 (2)  contract management;

1-17                 (3)  financial management;

1-18                 (4)  performance measurement and evaluation;

1-19                 (5)  research; and

1-20                 (6)  other matters the commission considers

1-21     appropriate.

1-22           (c)  The commission and health and human service agencies

1-23     shall file a report regarding the cost-effectiveness of using the

 2-1     Internet to coordinate and enhance technical assistance for human

 2-2     services providers with the governor, the lieutenant governor, the

 2-3     speaker of the house of representatives, and the Senate Committee

 2-4     on Health and Human Services not later than September 1, 1998.

 2-5     This subsection expires January 1, 1999.

 2-6           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-7           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-8     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-9     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-10     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-11     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.