By Harris S.B. No. 794 75R3401 MCK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to certain state agencies to use of assessment centers and 1-3 developing standards and licensing procedures for assessment 1-4 centers. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code, 1-7 is amended by adding Sections 40.066 and 40.067 to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 40.066. ASSESSMENT CENTER LICENSE. (a) The department 1-9 by rule shall create an assessment center licensing program under 1-10 which an emergency shelter may perform assessments of the placement 1-11 needs of children who need substitute care. 1-12 (b) An emergency shelter licensed under this section is not 1-13 required to also be licensed under Chapter 42. 1-14 (c) An emergency shelter may not act as an assessment center 1-15 unless it has been licensed by the department as an assessment 1-16 center. 1-17 Sec. 40.067. USE OF ASSESSMENT CENTER. Before placing a 1-18 child in substitute care, the department, the Texas Juvenile 1-19 Probation Commission, or the Texas Department of Mental Health and 1-20 Mental Retardation shall use an assessment center to determine the 1-21 appropriate substitute care services for the child. 1-22 SECTION 2. Representatives of the Health and Human Services 1-23 Commission, the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, 1-24 the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, and the Texas Department 2-1 of Mental Health and Mental Retardation shall jointly develop 2-2 common standards for evaluating assessment centers. Before 2-3 adopting the standards for evaluating assessment centers, the 2-4 representatives shall consider the 1993 standards developed by the 2-5 Department of Protective and Regulatory Services work group. 2-6 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-11 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-12 passage, and it is so enacted.