By Christian                                          H.B. No. 1496
         76R5399 DRH-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the use of private nonprofit entities to provide
 1-3     transportation to entities that provide social services.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 459.002, Transportation Code, is amended
 1-6     to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec.  459.002.  COORDINATION WITH TRANSPORTATION PROVIDERS.
 1-8     A social services provider shall coordinate with each local
 1-9     transportation provider to the greatest extent possible to maximize
1-10     the efficiency and effectiveness of transportation services
1-11     available to social services clients.  A social services provider
1-12     shall, to the extent possible, use private nonprofit entities that
1-13     provide transportation services at little or no cost.  The social
1-14     services provider shall reimburse each transportation provider for
1-15     services performed, including paratransit transportation services,
1-16     in accordance with applicable contracts or vendor agreements.
1-17           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-18     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-19     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-20     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-21     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-22     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-23     passage, and it is so enacted.