By Christian                                          H.B. No. 2017
         76R5912 KKA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the designation of certain state employees as liaisons
 1-3     to faith-based organizations for the purpose of promoting community
 1-4     services for the needy.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Chapter 21, Human Resources Code, is amended by
 1-7     adding Section 21.0061 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 21.0061.  LIAISONS TO FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.  (a)
 1-9     The commissioner shall designate one department employee in each of
1-10     the department's administrative regions to serve as a liaison to
1-11     faith-based organizations in the region with the potential ability
1-12     to provide community services for the needy.
1-13           (b)  The commissioner shall ensure that the primary function
1-14     of each employee designated as a liaison under this section is to:
1-15                 (1)  communicate with faith-based organizations
1-16     regarding the need for private community services to benefit
1-17     persons in need of assistance who would otherwise require
1-18     financial or other assistance under public programs administered by
1-19     the department;
1-20                 (2)  promote the involvement of faith-based
1-21     organizations in working to meet community needs for assistance;
1-22     and
1-23                 (3)  coordinate the department's efforts to promote
1-24     involvement of faith-based organizations in providing community
 2-1     services with similar efforts of other state agencies.
 2-2           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-3     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-4     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-5     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-6     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
 2-7     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 2-8     passage, and it is so enacted.