By Barrientos S.B. No. 1532
75R8589 CLG-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to eligibility determination and service delivery of
1-3 health and human services.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 531.022(c), Government Code, is amended
1-6 to read as follows:
1-7 (c) The plan must include the following goals:
1-8 (1) the development of a comprehensive, statewide
1-9 approach to the planning of health and human services;
1-10 (2) the creation of a continuum of care for families
1-11 and individuals in need of health and human services;
1-12 (3) the integration of eligibility determination for
1-13 health and human services to provide for the efficient and timely
1-14 delivery of those services;
1-15 (4) the maximization of existing resources through
1-16 effective funds management and the sharing of administrative
1-17 functions;
1-18 (5) the effective use of management information
1-19 systems to continually improve service delivery;
1-20 (6) the provision of systemwide accountability through
1-21 effective monitoring mechanisms;
1-22 (7) the promotion of teamwork among the health and
1-23 human services agencies and the provision of incentives for
1-24 creativity; and
2-1 (8) the fostering of innovation at the local level.
2-2 SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
2-3 amended by adding Section 531.0241 to read as follows:
2-4 Sec. 531.0241. STREAMLINING DELIVERY OF SERVICES. To
2-5 streamline service delivery and facilitate access to services, the
2-6 commissioner may request a health and human services agency to take
2-7 a specific action and may recommend the manner in which the
2-8 streamlining is to be accomplished, including requesting each
2-9 health and human services agency to:
2-10 (1) simplify agency procedures;
2-11 (2) automate agency procedures;
2-12 (3) coordinate service planning and management tasks
2-13 between and among health and human services agencies;
2-14 (4) reallocate staff resources;
2-15 (5) adopt rules;
2-16 (6) amend, waive, or repeal existing rules; or
2-17 (7) take other necessary actions.
2-18 SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
2-19 amended by adding Section 531.0244 to read as follows:
2-20 Sec. 531.0244. INTEGRATED SYSTEM FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN
2-21 SERVICES. (a) The commission may not implement an integrated
2-22 service delivery system for health and human services at the state,
2-23 local, or regional level.
2-24 (b) The commission may not consult or coordinate with the
2-25 State Council on Competitive Government to make or implement
2-26 recommendations on services or functions of the integrated
2-27 eligibility determination system that could be provided more
3-1 effectively through the use of competitive bidding or by
3-2 contracting with local governments and other appropriate entities.
3-3 (c) If the commission determines that services or functions
3-4 of an integrated eligibility determination system can be provided
3-5 more effectively by a private entity, the commission may, subject
3-6 to the availability of funds appropriated for that purpose,
3-7 contract with a private entity to conduct application processing
3-8 and may automate the determination of client eligibility, but only
3-9 if those services and functions can be provided in a manner that
3-10 does not displace a person's interaction with a client during the
3-11 applications process.
3-12 SECTION 4. Sections 9.06 and 9.13, Chapter 655, Acts of the
3-13 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995, are repealed.
3-14 SECTION 5. The Health and Human Services Commission shall
3-15 submit to the 76th Legislature a report on the effect of the
3-16 integrated eligibility determination system on the clients of
3-17 health and human services agencies. The report must include:
3-18 (1) the expenditures the commission has incurred in
3-19 implementing the system; and
3-20 (2) the cost savings achieved by the implementation of
3-21 the system.
3-22 SECTION 6. (a) In addition to the substantive changes made
3-23 by this Act, this Act conforms Section 531.0241, Government Code,
3-24 as added by this Act, to Section 9.06, Chapter 655, Acts of the
3-25 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995.
3-26 (b) To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails over
3-27 another Act of the 75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997,
4-1 relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted
4-2 codes.
4-3 SECTION 7. The importance of this legislation and the
4-4 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-5 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-6 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-7 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-8 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-9 passage, and it is so enacted.