By Naishtat H.B. No. 966 77R1619 JRD-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to requiring the Health and Human Services Commission to 1-3 study ways to allow appropriated money to follow an individual who 1-4 is leaving institutional care and will need community-based 1-5 services. 1-6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-7 SECTION 1. In this Act, "health and human services agencies" 1-8 has the meaning assigned by Section 531.001, Government Code. 1-9 SECTION 2. The Health and Human Services Commission shall 1-10 study ways in which health and human services agencies may: 1-11 (1) quantify the amount of money appropriated by the 1-12 legislature that is spent to care for a person who is receiving 1-13 institutional care in an institution operated by the state or 1-14 funded at least in part by appropriated money; and 1-15 (2) redirect all or part of that amount to one or more 1-16 community-based programs that will provide community-based services 1-17 to the person in the event the person leaves the institution to 1-18 live in the community. 1-19 SECTION 3. The commission shall consider ways in which the 1-20 money may be redirected under existing law, whether the money could 1-21 be redirected in advisable ways if changes were made in the General 1-22 Appropriations Act, and advisable ways in which the money could be 1-23 redirected that would require changes in general law. 1-24 SECTION 4. At the commission's request, each health and 2-1 human services agency shall provide information to the commission 2-2 and assist the commission in performing the study. 2-3 SECTION 5. Not later than November 1, 2002, the commission 2-4 shall report its conclusions and recommendations to the presiding 2-5 officer of each house of the legislature, to the Senate Finance 2-6 Committee and the House Appropriations Committee, and to each 2-7 standing committee of either house of the legislature that has 2-8 primary jurisdiction over the commission or a health and human 2-9 services agency. 2-10 SECTION 6. This Act expires June 1, 2003. 2-11 SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.