1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to access for females under 18 years of age to facilities, 1-3 services, and treatment available through health and human services 1-4 and juvenile corrections programs. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 531, Government Code, is 1-7 amended by adding Section 531.016 to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 531.016. EQUAL ACCESS TO FACILITIES, SERVICES, AND 1-9 TREATMENT. (a) The commission, the Texas Youth Commission, and the 1-10 Texas Juvenile Probation Commission shall periodically review, 1-11 document, and compare the accessibility and funding of facilities, 1-12 services, and treatment provided to females under 18 years of age 1-13 to the accessibility and funding of facilities, services, and 1-14 treatment provided to males in the same age group. 1-15 (b) The commission shall coordinate the review, 1-16 documentation, and comparison required by Subsection (a). 1-17 (c) The areas of review required by Subsection (a) must 1-18 include: 1-19 (1) the nature, extent, and effectiveness of services 1-20 offered for females under 18 years of age within the areas of teen 1-21 pregnancy, physical and sexual abuse, and alcohol and drug abuse, 1-22 services for runaway and homeless females, and services for females 1-23 involved in gangs or other delinquent activity; and 1-24 (2) the equity of services offered to persons under 18 2-1 years of age with respect to gender within the areas of physical 2-2 and sexual abuse, alcohol and drug abuse, and services offered to 2-3 runaway and homeless youths. 2-4 (d) Each health and human services agency or other state 2-5 agency that provides facilities, services, treatment, or funding 2-6 subject to the review required by Subsection (a) shall identify 2-7 existing differences within the agency in the allocation and 2-8 expenditures of money and services for males under 18 years of age 2-9 in comparison to females in the same age group. Each agency shall 2-10 submit a report to the commission describing any differences 2-11 identified. 2-12 (e) Each agency described by Subsection (d) shall: 2-13 (1) develop a plan to address any lack of services for 2-14 females under 18 years of age reported by the agency; and 2-15 (2) submit a report to the commission on the progress 2-16 made under the plan. 2-17 (f) The commission shall assemble the agency reports 2-18 submitted under Subsections (d) and (e) and prepare an executive 2-19 summary to be delivered to the members of the legislature not later 2-20 than July 1 of each even-numbered year. 2-21 (g) This section expires September 1, 2005. 2-22 SECTION 2. The Health and Human Services Commission, the 2-23 Texas Youth Commission, and the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission 2-24 shall jointly establish a timetable for the submission of agency 2-25 reports required by Section 531.016, Government Code, as added by 2-26 this Act, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this 2-27 Act. 3-1 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 3-2 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 3-3 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 3-4 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 3-5 Act takes effect September 1, 2001. _______________________________ _______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.B. No. 1758 was passed by the House on April 20, 2001, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 0, 2 present, not voting. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.B. No. 1758 was passed by the Senate on May 22, 2001, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0, 1 present, not voting. _______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: __________________________ Date __________________________ Governor