SRC-JXG H.B. 822 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 822
76R9481 DRH-DBy: Maxey (Cain)
Human Services
4/26/1999
Engrossed


DIGEST 

Currently, Texas counties are responsible for administering county
finances, recording vital statistics, holding elections, preserving law and
order, administering justice through the courts, building and maintaining
county roads, and providing health and welfare services. Six Texas counties
account for 40 percent of the state's population, which require an
extensive array of social services programs. H.B. 822 would establish a
task force of state agencies and county representatives to identify and
remedy problems in local government, and would determine how they might
work together to ensure that counties receive the maximum federal
reimbursement for their services.  

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 822 establishes a task force composed of state agencies
and county representatives to study federal reimbursements to counties. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. (a) Provides that the task force on federal reimbursements to
counties (task force) is composed of the commissioner of health and human
services, as presiding officer; three persons representing counties
appointed by the governor; three persons representing counties appointed by
the lieutenant governor; three persons representing counties appointed by
the speaker of the house of representatives; three persons representing
counties appointed by the comptroller; and one representative of each
agency listed by this subdivision appointed by the governing body of the
agency: the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services, the Texas
Youth Commission, the Texas Department of Health, the office of the
attorney general, the Texas Department of Human Services, the Texas
Juvenile Probation Commission, the Texas Department of Mental Health and
Mental Retardation, and the Texas Workforce Commission. 

(b) Requires the task force to study the changes needed to increase federal
reimbursements to county governments, identify ways to increase the
reimbursement the federal government pays for the indirect cost that
counties incur in administering aid programs, and identify methods of
training employees on ways to increase federal reimbursements. 

(c) Requires the task force to report on its findings to the 77th
Legislature no later than January 15, 2001. 

(d) Requires the state agencies listed by Subsection (a)(6) of this section
to provide staff support to enable the task force to carry out its duties. 

(e) Requires the comptroller to serve on the task force as its presiding
officer, if the office of the commissioner of health and human services is
abolished. 

 (f) Provides that this Act expires February 1, 2001.

SECTION 2. Emergency clause.
           Effective date: upon passage.