1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the establishment of an interagency plan for
1-3 coordinating case management services for certain recipients of
1-4 financial assistance.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Human Resources Code,
1-7 is amended by adding Section 31.0128 to read as follows:
1-8 Sec. 31.0128. COORDINATED INTERAGENCY PLAN. (a) The
1-9 department and the Texas Workforce Commission shall jointly develop
1-10 and adopt a memorandum of understanding, subject to the approval of
1-11 the Health and Human Services Commission. The memorandum of
1-12 understanding must establish guidelines for a coordinated
1-13 interagency case management plan to:
1-14 (1) identify each recipient of financial assistance
1-15 who has, in comparison to other recipients, higher levels of
1-16 barriers to employment; and
1-17 (2) provide coordinated services that address those
1-18 barriers to assist the recipient in finding and retaining
1-19 employment.
1-20 (b) The department and the Texas Workforce Commission shall:
1-21 (1) jointly develop and adopt a memorandum of
1-22 understanding, subject to the approval of the Health and Human
1-23 Services Commission, that establishes a coordinated interagency
1-24 case management plan consistent with the guidelines established
2-1 under Subsection (a); and
2-2 (2) using existing resources, by rule implement the
2-3 plan to the maximum extent possible through local department and
2-4 commission offices in local workforce development areas in which a
2-5 local workforce development board is not established.
2-6 (c) Each agency by rule shall adopt the memoranda of
2-7 understanding required by this section and all revisions to the
2-8 memoranda.
2-9 (d) In a local workforce development area in which a local
2-10 workforce development board is established, the Texas Workforce
2-11 Commission shall require in the commission's contract with the
2-12 board that the board, in cooperation with local department offices,
2-13 develop and implement a coordinated interagency case management
2-14 plan consistent with the guidelines established under Subsection
2-15 (a).
2-16 SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2002, the Texas
2-17 Department of Human Services and the Texas Workforce Commission
2-18 shall adopt the memoranda of understanding required by Section
2-19 31.0128, Human Resources Code, as added by this Act, and implement
2-20 by rule to the maximum extent possible the interagency case
2-21 management plan required by Section 31.0128(b), Human Resources
2-22 Code, as added by this Act.
2-23 SECTION 3. Not later than December 1, 2002, the Texas
2-24 Department of Human Services and the Texas Workforce Commission
2-25 shall jointly prepare and submit to the legislature a report
2-26 regarding any changes in the law necessary to implement the
2-27 interagency case management plan required by Section 31.0128, Human
3-1 Resources Code, as added by this Act.
3-2 SECTION 4. The change in law made by Section 31.0128(d),
3-3 Human Resources Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a
3-4 contract or other agreement between the Texas Workforce Commission
3-5 and a local workforce development board entered into on or after
3-6 September 1, 2001. A contract or agreement entered into before
3-7 that date is governed by the law in effect on the date the contract
3-8 or agreement was entered into, and the former law is continued in
3-9 effect for that purpose.
3-10 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 477 was passed by the House on March
29, 2001, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 477 was passed by the Senate on April
26, 2001, by a viva-voce vote.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________________
Date
__________________________
Governor