By Ellis                                               S.B. No. 807
         76R3464 JRD-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to establishing a task force to identify ways to maximize
 1-3     federal reimbursements to counties.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 783, Government Code, is amended by
 1-6     adding Section 783.009 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 783.009.  TASK FORCE ON FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENTS TO
 1-8     COUNTIES.  (a)  The task force on federal reimbursements to
 1-9     counties  is established.
1-10           (b)  The task force is composed of:
1-11                 (1)  the comptroller, who is the presiding officer of
1-12     the task force;
1-13                 (2)  a representative of each of the following state
1-14     agencies:
1-15                       (A)  the office of the attorney general;
1-16                       (B)  the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission;
1-17                       (C)  the Texas Department of Health;
1-18                       (D)  the Health and Human Services Commission;
1-19                       (E)  the Texas Department of Human Services;
1-20                       (F)  the Texas Department of Mental Health and
1-21     Mental Retardation;
1-22                       (G)  the Department of Protective and Regulatory
1-23     Services; and
1-24                       (H)  the Texas Youth Commission; and
 2-1                 (3)  twelve representatives of counties, of whom three
 2-2     are appointed by the governor, three are appointed by the
 2-3     lieutenant governor, three are appointed by the speaker of the
 2-4     house of representatives, and three are appointed by the
 2-5     comptroller.
 2-6           (c)  The task force shall identify problems that counties
 2-7     have in seeking and receiving reimbursements from the federal
 2-8     government. The task force shall study and recommend ways for
 2-9     counties to:
2-10                 (1)  increase the reimbursements they receive from the
2-11     federal government, particularly ways to increase indirect cost
2-12     allocations; and
2-13                 (2)  improve the training that relevant county
2-14     employees receive in matters relating to seeking federal
2-15     reimbursements.
2-16           (d)  State agencies and counties represented on the task
2-17     force may provide staff support to the task force.
2-18           (e)  The task force shall meet at the call of the comptroller
2-19     or according to a schedule adopted by the task force.
2-20           (f)  The task force shall report its findings and
2-21     recommendations to the governor and the presiding officer of each
2-22     house of the legislature not later than November 1, 2000.
2-23           (g)  The task force is abolished and this section expires
2-24     February 1, 2001.
2-25           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-26     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-27     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 3-1     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 3-2     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
 3-3     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 3-4     passage, and it is so enacted.