By Maxey H.B. No. 2244
76R6574 KKA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to coordination of transportation services provided to
1-3 clients of health and human services agencies.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 131, Human Resources Code, is amended to
1-6 read as follows:
1-7 CHAPTER 131. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OFFICE OF COMMUNITY
1-8 TRANSPORTATION SERVICES [AND PLANNING OFFICE]
1-9 Sec. 131.001. OFFICE. The Health and Human Services
1-10 [Transportation and Planning] Office of Community Transportation
1-11 Services is in the Health and Human Services Commission.
1-12 Sec. 131.002. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
1-13 (1) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of health
1-14 and human services.
1-15 (2) "Health and human services agency" has the meaning
1-16 assigned by Section 531.001, Government Code.
1-17 (3) "Office" means the Health and Human Services
1-18 Office of Community Transportation Services.
1-19 Sec. 131.003. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The office, with
1-20 assistance from the commissioner, shall:
1-21 (1) collect data on health and human services client
1-22 transportation needs, services, and expenditures;
1-23 (2) create a statewide coordination plan regarding a
1-24 system of transportation for clients of health and human services
2-1 agencies that provides for coordinated, community-based services,
2-2 including the designation of local transportation coordinators;
2-3 (3) establish a standardized system [standards] of
2-4 reporting and accounting to be used by [methods for] all health and
2-5 human services agencies providing [health and human services]
2-6 client transportation;
2-7 (4) maximize federal funds for client transportation
2-8 through the use of available state funds for matching purposes and
2-9 the possible use of oil overcharge money and planning funds
2-10 available through the federal department of transportation;
2-11 (5) evaluate the effectiveness of pooling client
2-12 transportation resources for capital acquisition and the joint
2-13 purchase of liability insurance;
2-14 (6) assist state agencies in coordinating
2-15 transportation resources;
2-16 (7) ensure coordination between the office and the
2-17 Texas Department of Transportation with regard to the use of funds
2-18 received by the department under 49 U.S.C. Section 1612(b)(1);
2-19 (8) examine the feasibility of consolidating all
2-20 funding for health and human services client transportation and
2-21 creating a transportation system through which clients of a state
2-22 or local agency or program could be matched with the most
2-23 cost-effective and appropriate transportation services for their
2-24 needs;
2-25 (9) evaluate the use of existing computer software for
2-26 use at the local level in client transportation services; and
2-27 (10) review the feasibility of taking medical care to
3-1 those in need, including the use of mobile clinics, and review the
3-2 possibility of using federal highway funds for those transportation
3-3 needs.
3-4 (b) The office [Health and Human Services Transportation and
3-5 Planning Office] shall coordinate with the Health and Human
3-6 Services Commission and health and human services agencies in
3-7 implementing the goals listed in Section 531.022(c), Government
3-8 Code [10(b), Article 4413(502), Revised Statutes]. The office
3-9 shall report its findings and proposals to the governor, the
3-10 Legislative Budget Board, the secretary of state, and the
3-11 commissioner [of health and human services] not later than
3-12 September 1 of each even-numbered year.
3-13 Sec. 131.004 [131.003]. [OFFICE] STAFF. The commissioner
3-14 [of health and human services] shall employ staff needed to carry
3-15 out the duties of the office and the Council on Coordinated
3-16 Transportation created under Section 131.007.
3-17 Sec. 131.005. REPORTING AND ACCOUNTING SYSTEM. Each health
3-18 and human services agency that provides, purchases, or otherwise
3-19 funds transportation services for clients shall:
3-20 (1) comply with the standardized system of reporting
3-21 and accounting established by the office under Section
3-22 131.003(a)(3);
3-23 (2) make any changes to agency data collection systems
3-24 that are necessary to enable the agency to comply with the
3-25 standardized system; and
3-26 (3) not later than August 31 of each year, submit to
3-27 the office a report relating to transportation services that
4-1 complies with the standardized system.
4-2 Sec. 131.006. IMPLEMENTATION OF STATEWIDE COORDINATION PLAN.
4-3 In order to implement the statewide coordination plan created by
4-4 the office under Section 131.003(a)(2), the office shall:
4-5 (1) review rules, policies, contracts, grants, and
4-6 funding mechanisms relating to transportation services of each
4-7 health and human services agency that provides, purchases, or
4-8 otherwise funds transportation services for clients to determine
4-9 whether the rules, policies, contracts, grants, and funding
4-10 mechanisms are consistent with the plan;
4-11 (2) make recommendations for revisions to rules,
4-12 policies, contracts, grants, and funding mechanisms determined
4-13 under Subdivision (1) to be inconsistent with the plan; and
4-14 (3) not later than September 30 of each even-numbered
4-15 year, submit a report by electronic mail and by hand delivery to
4-16 the governor, the secretary of state, the Legislative Budget
4-17 Board, and the commissioner relating to the results of the review
4-18 conducted by the office under this section.
4-19 Sec. 131.007. COUNCIL ON COORDINATED TRANSPORTATION. (a)
4-20 The Council on Coordinated Transportation is created as an advisory
4-21 committee to assist the office and the commissioner in performing
4-22 the duties specified in this chapter. The council consists of 11
4-23 voting members and four nonvoting members appointed in the manner
4-24 provided by Subsections (b) and (c).
4-25 (b) The following members may vote on council action:
4-26 (1) a representative of consumers of special
4-27 transportation services, appointed by the governor;
5-1 (2) a representative of consumers of public
5-2 transportation services, appointed by the governor;
5-3 (3) two representatives of nonprofit consumer groups
5-4 working in the area of transportation services for recipients of
5-5 health and human services, appointed by the governor;
5-6 (4) a representative of a local workforce development
5-7 board, appointed by the executive director of the Texas Workforce
5-8 Commission;
5-9 (5) a representative of the Texas Transit Association,
5-10 appointed by the executive director of that association;
5-11 (6) a representative of the Texas Department of
5-12 Transportation, appointed by the executive director of that agency;
5-13 (7) a representative of the Texas Department of Mental
5-14 Health and Mental Retardation, appointed by the commissioner of
5-15 mental health and mental retardation;
5-16 (8) a representative of the Texas Department of Human
5-17 Services, appointed by the commissioner of human services;
5-18 (9) a representative of the Health and Human Services
5-19 Commission, appointed by the commissioner of health and human
5-20 services; and
5-21 (10) a representative of the Texas Department of
5-22 Health, appointed by the commissioner of public health.
5-23 (c) The following members may not vote on council action:
5-24 (1) two members of the senate, appointed by the
5-25 lieutenant governor; and
5-26 (2) two members of the house of representatives,
5-27 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
6-1 (d) A member of the legislature or a member appointed to
6-2 represent a state agency or local workforce development board
6-3 receives no additional compensation for service on the council, but
6-4 is entitled to reimbursement of actual and necessary expenses
6-5 resulting from service on the council in the manner that the member
6-6 receives reimbursement of expenses associated with other public
6-7 duties. Other members of the council receive no compensation for
6-8 service on the council, but are entitled to reimbursement of actual
6-9 and necessary expenses resulting from service on the council from
6-10 money available to the Health and Human Services Commission.
6-11 (e) The representative of the Health and Human Services
6-12 Commission shall serve as presiding officer of the council. The
6-13 voting members of the council may elect any other necessary
6-14 officers.
6-15 (f) The council is not subject to Chapter 2110, Government
6-16 Code.
6-17 SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2001, the Health and
6-18 Human Services Office of Community Transportation Services and the
6-19 Commissioner of Health and Human Services shall create the
6-20 statewide coordination plan required by Section 131.003(a)(2),
6-21 Human Resources Code, as amended by this Act.
6-22 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
6-23 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
6-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
6-25 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
6-26 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
6-27 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.