1-1           By:  Zaffirini, Ellis                            S.B. No. 290

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed January 23, 1997; January 28, 1997,

 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on International

 1-4     Relations, Trade, and Technology; February 5, 1997, rereferred to

 1-5     Committee on Health and Human Services; February 20, 1997, reported

 1-6     adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following

 1-7     vote:  Yeas 10, Nays 0; February 20, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-8     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 290                   By:  Harris

 1-9                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

1-10                                   AN ACT

1-11     relating to electronic assistance provided by the Health and Human

1-12     Services Commission.

1-13           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-14           SECTION 1.   Subchapter A, Chapter 531, Government Code, is

1-15     amended by adding Section 531.013 to read as follows:

1-16           Sec. 531.013.  ELECTRONIC AVAILABILITY OF TECHNICAL

1-17     ASSISTANCE.  (a)  Health and human service agencies shall, in

1-18     conjunction with the Department of Information Resources,

1-19     coordinate and enhance their existing Internet sites to provide

1-20     technical assistance for human services providers. The commission

1-21     shall take the lead and ensure involvement of agencies with the

1-22     greatest potential for cost savings.

1-23           (b)  Assistance under this section may include information in

1-24     the following subjects:

1-25                 (1)  case management;

1-26                 (2)  contract management;

1-27                 (3)  financial management;

1-28                 (4)  performance measurement and evaluation;

1-29                 (5)  research; and

1-30                 (6)  other matters the commission considers

1-31     appropriate.

1-32           (c)  The commission and health and human service agencies

1-33     shall file a report regarding the cost-effectiveness of using the

1-34     Internet to coordinate and enhance technical assistance for human

1-35     services providers with the governor, the lieutenant governor, the

1-36     speaker of the house of representatives, and the Senate Committee

1-37     on Health and Human Services not later than September 1, 1998.

1-38     This subsection expires January 1, 1999.

1-39           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-40           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-41     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-42     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-43     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-44     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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