By Dutton                                              H.B. No. 854
         77R479 KLA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the creation of an interagency work group to evaluate
 1-3     and address hunger and homelessness in this state.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 531.055 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 531.055.  INTERAGENCY WORK GROUP ON HUNGER AND
 1-8     HOMELESSNESS. (a)  An interagency work group is created to assist
 1-9     the commission in improving services to address the needs of
1-10     certain persons who are hungry or homeless or who are at risk of
1-11     being hungry or homeless.
1-12           (b)  The commissioner shall appoint the members of the work
1-13     group, which must include balanced representation from:
1-14                 (1)  the house and senate committees having oversight
1-15     of financial, nutritional, and housing assistance programs;
1-16                 (2)  the Department of Agriculture, the Texas
1-17     Department of Housing and Community Affairs, and the Texas
1-18     Department of Human Services;
1-19                 (3)  advocates for consumers of financial, nutritional,
1-20     or housing assistance services;
1-21                 (4)  providers of financial, nutritional, or housing
1-22     assistance services; and
1-23                 (5)  consumers of financial, nutritional, or housing
1-24     assistance services.
 2-1           (c)  The commission shall provide administrative support,
 2-2     including staff, to the work group.
 2-3           (d)  A member of the work group serves at the will of the
 2-4     commissioner.
 2-5           (e)  The commissioner shall appoint a member of the work
 2-6     group to serve as the presiding officer.
 2-7           (f)  The work group shall meet at the call of the presiding
 2-8     officer.
 2-9           (g)  The work group shall study and make recommendations on
2-10     methods of improving outreach efforts and the delivery of services
2-11     to persons who are hungry or homeless or who are at risk of being
2-12     hungry or homeless.  As part of the study and recommendations
2-13     required by this subsection, the work group shall:
2-14                 (1)  assess the extent and nature of hunger and
2-15     homelessness in this state;
2-16                 (2)  identify underserved populations that are hungry
2-17     or homeless or that are at risk of being hungry or homeless;
2-18                 (3)  identify methods of increasing the delivery of
2-19     financial, nutritional, and housing assistance services to
2-20     underserved populations that are hungry or homeless or that are at
2-21     risk of being hungry or homeless;
2-22                 (4)  explore methods of enhancing existing financial,
2-23     nutritional, and housing assistance services and improving the
2-24     delivery of those services to persons receiving the services; and
2-25                 (5)  evaluate the need for additional programs and
2-26     services to prevent and alleviate hunger and homelessness.
2-27           (h)  The work group shall annually report its findings and
 3-1     recommendations to the commission.
 3-2           (i)  The commission shall file annually with the governor,
 3-3     lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and
 3-4     the presiding officers of the standing committees of the senate and
 3-5     of the house of representatives having primary jurisdiction over
 3-6     the commission a report that details the findings and
 3-7     recommendations of the work group.
 3-8           (j)  The work group is not subject to Chapter 2110,
 3-9     Government Code.
3-10           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.