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.