By McCall                                             H.B. No. 1611
         76R836 KEL-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the continuation and functions of the Governor's
 1-3     Committee on People with Disabilities.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 115.001, Human Resources Code, is amended
 1-6     to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 115.001.  COMMITTEE; MISSION.  (a)  The Governor's
 1-8     Committee on People with Disabilities is within the office of the
 1-9     governor.
1-10           (b)  The committee's mission is to further opportunities for
1-11     persons with disabilities to enjoy full and equal access to lives
1-12     of independence, productivity, and self-determination.
1-13           SECTION 2.  Section 115.002, Human Resources Code, is amended
1-14     by adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
1-15           (d)  Except as provided by Subsection (b), appointments to
1-16     the committee shall be made without regard to the race, color,
1-17     disability, sex, religion, age, or national origin of the
1-18     appointees.
1-19           SECTION 3.  Sections 115.004(a) and (b), Human Resources
1-20     Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-21           (a)  The governor shall designate one member of the committee
1-22     as the presiding officer [chair] of the committee to serve in that
1-23     capacity at the pleasure of the governor.  The committee may elect
1-24     other officers from its members as the committee considers
 2-1     necessary.
 2-2           (b)  The committee shall meet quarterly [in each quarter of
 2-3     the year] as provided by committee rule and may meet at other times
 2-4     at the call of the presiding officer [chair].
 2-5           SECTION 4.  Sections 115.005 and 115.009, Human Resources
 2-6     Code, are amended to read as follows:
 2-7           Sec. 115.005.  SUNSET PROVISION.  The Governor's Committee on
 2-8     People with Disabilities is subject to Chapter 325, Government Code
 2-9     (Texas Sunset Act).  Unless continued in existence as provided by
2-10     that chapter, the committee is abolished and this chapter expires
2-11     September 1, 2011 [1999].
2-12           Sec. 115.009.  FUNCTIONS.  The committee shall:
2-13                 (1)  serve as a central source of information and
2-14     education on the abilities, rights, problems, and needs of persons
2-15     with disabilities and, as necessary, issue reports [coordinate and
2-16     monitor the state's compliance with the federal Americans with
2-17     Disabilities Act of 1990 (Pub. L. No. 101-336) and other federal
2-18     and state statutes relating to rights and opportunities for persons
2-19     with disabilities];
2-20                 (2)  provide information to and advise the governor and
2-21     the governor's staff on matters relating to the full participation
2-22     of persons with disabilities in all aspects of life [and technical
2-23     assistance to public and private agencies and businesses to promote
2-24     and facilitate implementation of the federal Americans with
2-25     Disabilities Act of 1990 (Pub. L. No. 101-336) and other federal
2-26     and state statutes relating to rights and opportunities of persons
2-27     with disabilities];
 3-1                 (3)  before the end of each even-numbered year, submit
 3-2     to the governor and to the legislature a report that includes:
 3-3                       (A)  the status of [by December 31 of each year,
 3-4     report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of
 3-5     the house of representatives on] the state's compliance with
 3-6     federal and state laws pertaining to rights and opportunities for
 3-7     persons with disabilities and [make] recommendations to achieve
 3-8     further compliance, if necessary;
 3-9                       (B)  a long-range state plan for persons with
3-10     disabilities and recommendations to implement that plan; and
3-11                       (C)  any recommended changes in state laws
3-12     relating to persons with disabilities [where noncompliance exists];
3-13                 (4)  serve as the state's liaison agency in working
3-14     with the President's Committee on Employment of Persons with
3-15     Disabilities and other entities involved in activities or concerns
3-16     affecting [public or private associations or groups promoting or
3-17     providing services for] persons with disabilities;
3-18                 (5)  develop and work with a statewide network of
3-19     volunteer community-level committees to promote dissemination of
3-20     information about and implementation of federal and state laws
3-21     addressing rights and opportunities for persons with disabilities;
3-22                 (6)  evaluate the state's compliance with the federal
3-23     Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Pub. L. No. 101-336) and
3-24     other federal and state statutes relating to rights and
3-25     opportunities for persons with disabilities [promote the
3-26     development of efficient and effective coordination of services for
3-27     persons with disabilities];
 4-1                 (7)  provide information and technical assistance to
 4-2     public and private agencies and businesses to promote and
 4-3     facilitate implementation of the federal Americans with
 4-4     Disabilities Act of 1990 (Pub. L. No. 101-336) and other federal
 4-5     and state statutes relating to rights and opportunities of persons
 4-6     with disabilities [make recommendations to the governor on
 4-7     programs, policies, and funding that promote independence for
 4-8     persons with disabilities];
 4-9                 (8)  collect and evaluate [monitor] data on employment
4-10     of persons with disabilities by state agencies;
4-11                 (9)  work with legislative committees and with state
4-12     agencies on the development of laws and policies that affect
4-13     persons with disabilities;
4-14                 (10)  [monitor and promote the implementation of the
4-15     long-range state plan for Texans with disabilities and prepare a
4-16     biennial review and revision of the plan for official submission in
4-17     January of each odd-numbered year to the governor, the legislature,
4-18     the Legislative Budget Board, and appropriate legislative
4-19     committees and state agencies;]
4-20                 [(11)]  promote the compilation and publication of
4-21     state laws relating to persons with disabilities [and make
4-22     recommendations to the governor and the legislature about
4-23     appropriate changes in state laws relating to those persons]; and
4-24                 (11) [(12)  promote a demographic survey for the
4-25     accurate identification of persons with disabilities and the
4-26     effective use of the survey results in establishing service
4-27     priorities; and]
 5-1                 [(13)]  issue awards and other forms of recognition to
 5-2     persons and organizations making outstanding contributions to the
 5-3     employment of persons with disabilities and to public awareness of
 5-4     issues impacting persons with disabilities.
 5-5           SECTION 5.  Chapter 115, Human Resources Code, is amended by
 5-6     adding Sections 115.0021, 115.0022, 115.0023, 115.0041, 115.0042,
 5-7     115.0061, and 115.011 to read as follows:
 5-8           Sec. 115.0021.  CONFLICT OF INTEREST.  A person may not be a
 5-9     member of the committee or act as the general counsel to the
5-10     committee if the person is required to register as a lobbyist under
5-11     Chapter 305, Government Code, because of the person's activities
5-12     for compensation on behalf of a profession related to the operation
5-13     of the committee.
5-14           Sec. 115.0022.  TRAINING FOR COMMITTEE MEMBERS.  (a)  A
5-15     person who is appointed to and qualifies for office as a member of
5-16     the committee may not vote, deliberate, or be counted as a member
5-17     in attendance at a meeting of the committee until the person
5-18     completes a training program that complies with this section.
5-19           (b)  The training program must provide the person with
5-20     information regarding:
5-21                 (1)  the legislation that created the committee;
5-22                 (2)  the programs operated by the committee;
5-23                 (3)  the role and functions of the committee;
5-24                 (4)  any relevant rules of the committee;
5-25                 (5)  the current budget for the committee;
5-26                 (6)  the results of the most recent formal audit of the
5-27     committee;
 6-1                 (7)  the requirements of:
 6-2                       (A)  the open meetings law, Chapter 551,
 6-3     Government Code;
 6-4                       (B)  the public information law, Chapter 552,
 6-5     Government Code;
 6-6                       (C)  the administrative procedure law, Chapter
 6-7     2001, Government Code; and
 6-8                       (D)  other laws relating to public officials,
 6-9     including conflict of interest laws; and
6-10                 (8)  any applicable ethics policies adopted by the
6-11     committee or the Texas Ethics Commission.
6-12           (c)  A person appointed to the committee is entitled to
6-13     reimbursement, as provided by the General Appropriations Act, for
6-14     the travel expenses incurred in attending the training program
6-15     regardless of whether the attendance at the program occurs before
6-16     or after the person qualifies for office.
6-17           Sec. 115.0023.  GROUNDS FOR REMOVAL.  (a)  It is a ground for
6-18     removal from the committee that a member:
6-19                 (1)  is ineligible for membership under Section
6-20     115.0021;
6-21                 (2)  cannot discharge the member's duties for a
6-22     substantial part of the member's term; or
6-23                 (3)  is absent from more than half of the regularly
6-24     scheduled committee meetings that the member is eligible to attend
6-25     during a calendar year without an excuse approved by  a majority
6-26     vote of the committee.
6-27           (b)  The validity of an action of the committee is not
 7-1     affected by the fact that it is taken when a ground for removal of
 7-2     a committee member exists.
 7-3           (c)  If the executive director has knowledge that a potential
 7-4     ground for removal exists, the executive director shall notify the
 7-5     presiding officer of the committee of the potential ground.  The
 7-6     presiding officer shall then notify the governor and the attorney
 7-7     general that a potential ground for removal exists.  If the
 7-8     potential ground for removal involves the presiding officer, the
 7-9     executive director shall notify the next highest ranking officer of
7-10     the committee, who shall then notify the governor and the attorney
7-11     general that a potential ground for removal exists.
7-12           Sec. 115.0041.  DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITY.  The committee
7-13     shall develop and implement policies that clearly separate the
7-14     policymaking responsibilities of the committee and the management
7-15     responsibilities of the executive director and staff of the
7-16     committee.
7-17           Sec. 115.0042.  PUBLIC HEARINGS.  The committee shall develop
7-18     and implement policies that provide the public with a reasonable
7-19     opportunity to appear before the committee and to speak on any
7-20     issue under the jurisdiction of the committee.
7-21           Sec. 115.0061.  STANDARDS OF CONDUCT.  The executive director
7-22     or the executive director's designee shall provide to members of
7-23     the committee and to committee employees, as often as necessary,
7-24     information regarding the requirements for office or employment
7-25     under this chapter, including information regarding a person's
7-26     responsibilities under applicable laws relating to standards of
7-27     conduct for state officers or employees.
 8-1           Sec. 115.011.  COMPLAINTS.  (a)  The committee shall maintain
 8-2     a file on each written complaint filed with the committee.  The
 8-3     file must include:
 8-4                 (1)  the name of the person who filed the complaint;
 8-5                 (2)  the date the complaint is received by the
 8-6     committee;
 8-7                 (3)  the subject matter of the complaint;
 8-8                 (4)  the name of each person contacted in relation to
 8-9     the complaint;
8-10                 (5)  a summary of the results of the review of the
8-11     complaint; and
8-12                 (6)  an explanation of the reason the file was closed,
8-13     if the committee closed the file without taking action other than
8-14     to review the complaint.
8-15           (b)  The committee, until final disposition of the complaint,
8-16     shall notify the person filing the complaint and each person who is
8-17     a subject of the complaint of the status of the review of the
8-18     complaint.
8-19           SECTION 6.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
8-20           (b)  The changes in law made by this Act in the
8-21     qualifications of, and the prohibitions applying to, members of the
8-22     Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities do not affect the
8-23     entitlement of a member serving on the committee immediately before
8-24     September 1, 1999, to continue to carry out the functions of the
8-25     committee for the remainder of the member's term.  The changes in
8-26     law apply only to a member appointed on or after September 1, 1999.
8-27     This Act does not prohibit a person who is a member of the
 9-1     committee on September 1, 1999, from being reappointed to the
 9-2     committee if the person has the qualifications required for a
 9-3     member under Chapter 115, Human Resources Code, as amended by this
 9-4     Act.
 9-5           SECTION 7.  The importance of this legislation and the
 9-6     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 9-7     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 9-8     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 9-9     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.