HBA-JEK H.B. 3450 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3450 By: Gallego Urban Affairs 7/2/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Texas Interagency Council for the Homeless (council) was created in 1989 to coordinate the state's resources and services for the homeless, and consists of representatives from state agencies that serve the homeless. The council receives no state funding and does not have a full-time staff, but receives clerical and advisory support from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). The council is subject to the Sunset Act and was slated to be abolished on September 1, 2001 unless continued by the legislature. House Bill 3450 implements the recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission and reestablishes the council as an advisory committee to TDHCA. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 3450 amends the Government Code to establish the Texas Interagency Council for the Homeless (council) as an advisory committee to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) (Sec. 2306.782). The bill charges TDHCA with serving as the lead agency for addressing the problem of homelessness and coordinating interagency efforts regarding homelessness and any problem associated with homelessness at the state level (Sec. 2306.001). Advisory Committee Status and Duties H.B. 3450 provides that the council serves as an advisory committee to TDHCA and defines the council's advisory role and duties (Sec. 2306.782). The bill repeals the provision that subjects the council to the Sunset Act (SECTION 4). The bill requires the council to coordinate with the Texas Workforce Commission, local workforce development boards, homeless shelters, and public and private entities to provide homeless individuals information on services available to assist them in obtaining employment and job training. The bill also requires the council to ensure that local or statewide nonprofit organizations carry out duties required of the council that the council cannot perform itself, and removes the requirement that the council develop a strategic plan to address the needs of the homeless in cooperation with TDHCA and the Health and Human Services Commission (Sec. 2306.785). The bill authorizes the council to hold public hearings on homelessness issues, and requires TDHCA to provide notice of these hearings in the Texas Register and other appropriate sources (Sec. 2306.787). Membership and Member Agency Duties H.B. 3450 provides that council members must have administrative responsibility for programs for the homeless or related services provided by the member's agency and, subject to the approval of the administrative head of a member's agency, the authority to make decisions and commit resources of the agencies they represent (Sec. 2306.783). The bill requires each agency represented on the council to contribute resources to the council and report to TDHCA a standard set of performance data, as determined by TDHCA, on the agency's outcomes related to homelessness (Sec. 2306.786). EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.