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.