By Gallego H.B. No. 3450
77R1057 QS-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas Interagency
1-3 Council for the Homeless.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 2306.001, Government Code, is amended to
1-6 read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 2306.001. PURPOSES. The purposes of the department are
1-8 to:
1-9 (1) assist local governments in:
1-10 (A) providing essential public services for
1-11 their residents; and
1-12 (B) overcoming financial, social, and
1-13 environmental problems;
1-14 (2) provide for the housing needs of individuals and
1-15 families of low and very low income and families of moderate
1-16 income;
1-17 (3) contribute to the preservation, development, and
1-18 redevelopment of neighborhoods and communities, including
1-19 cooperation in the preservation of government-assisted housing
1-20 occupied by individuals and families of very low and extremely low
1-21 income;
1-22 (4) assist the governor and the legislature in
1-23 coordinating federal and state programs affecting local government;
1-24 [and]
2-1 (5) inform state officials and the public of the needs
2-2 of local government; and
2-3 (6) serve as the lead agency for:
2-4 (A) addressing at the state level the problem of
2-5 homelessness in this state; and
2-6 (B) coordinating interagency efforts to address
2-7 homelessness.
2-8 SECTION 2. Section 2307.006, Government Code, is transferred
2-9 to Subchapter K, Chapter 2306, Government Code, redesignated as
2-10 Section 2306.256, and amended to read as follows:
2-11 Sec. 2306.256 [2307.006]. TRANSITIONAL [TRANSITION] HOUSING
2-12 PILOT PROGRAM. (a) If funds are available, the department shall
2-13 operate a transitional housing pilot program in four areas of the
2-14 state.
2-15 (b) The program must address the needs of the homeless for:
2-16 (1) interim housing;
2-17 (2) physical and mental health services;
2-18 (3) literacy training;
2-19 (4) job training;
2-20 (5) family counseling;
2-21 (6) credit counseling;
2-22 (7) education services; and
2-23 (8) other services that will prevent homelessness.
2-24 SECTION 3. Sections 2307.001-2307.005 and 2307.008,
2-25 Government Code, are transferred to Chapter 2306, Government Code,
2-26 redesignated as Subchapter GG, and amended, and Subchapter GG,
2-27 Chapter 2306, Government Code, is amended by adding Sections
3-1 2306.782, 2306.786, and 2306.787 to read as follows:
3-2 SUBCHAPTER GG. INTERAGENCY COUNCIL FOR THE HOMELESS
3-3 Sec. 2306.781. DEFINITION [2307.001. DEFINITIONS]. In this
3-4 subchapter, "council" [chapter:]
3-5 [(1) "Council"] means the Texas Interagency Council
3-6 for the Homeless.
3-7 Sec. 2306.782. ADVISORY ROLE. The Texas Interagency Council
3-8 for the Homeless serves as an advisory committee to the department.
3-9 The council may recommend policies to the board. The board must
3-10 provide written justification for not accepting council
3-11 recommendations and must consider council recommendations in
3-12 preparing its low income housing plan under Section 2306.0721.
3-13 [(2) "Department" means the Texas Department of
3-14 Housing and Community Affairs.]
3-15 Sec. 2306.783 [2307.002]. MEMBERSHIP. (a) The Texas
3-16 Interagency Council for the Homeless is composed of:
3-17 (1) one representative from each of the following
3-18 agencies, appointed by the administrative head of that agency:
3-19 (A) the Texas Department of Health;
3-20 (B) the Texas Department of Human Services;
3-21 (C) the Texas Department of Mental Health and
3-22 Mental Retardation;
3-23 (D) the Texas Department of Criminal Justice;
3-24 (E) the Texas Department on Aging;
3-25 (F) the Texas Rehabilitation Commission;
3-26 (G) the Texas Education Agency;
3-27 (H) the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug
4-1 Abuse;
4-2 (I) the Department of Protective and Regulatory
4-3 Services;
4-4 (J) the Health and Human Services Commission;
4-5 (K) the Texas Workforce Commission;
4-6 (L) the Texas Youth Commission; and
4-7 (M) the Texas Veterans Commission; [and]
4-8 [(N) the workforce development division of the
4-9 Texas Department of Commerce;]
4-10 (2) one representative from the office of the
4-11 comptroller appointed by the comptroller;
4-12 (3) two representatives from the department, one each
4-13 from the community affairs division and the housing finance
4-14 division, appointed by the director; and
4-15 (4) three members representing service providers to
4-16 the homeless, one each appointed by the governor, the lieutenant
4-17 governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives.
4-18 (b) A member of the council serves at the pleasure of the
4-19 appointing official or until termination of the member's employment
4-20 with the entity the member represents.
4-21 (c) A member of the council must have:
4-22 (1) administrative responsibility for programs for the
4-23 homeless or related services provided by the agency that the member
4-24 represents; and
4-25 (2) authority to make decisions for and commit
4-26 resources of the agency, subject to the approval of the
4-27 administrative head of the agency.
5-1 Sec. 2306.784 [2307.003]. OPERATION OF COUNCIL. (a) The
5-2 members of the council shall annually elect one member to serve as
5-3 presiding officer.
5-4 (b) The council shall meet at least quarterly.
5-5 (c) An action taken by the council must be approved by a
5-6 majority vote of the members present.
5-7 (d) The council may select and use advisors.
5-8 (e) The department shall provide clerical and advisory
5-9 support staff to the council.
5-10 Sec. 2306.785 [2307.004]. DUTIES OF COUNCIL. The council
5-11 shall:
5-12 (1) survey current resources for services for the
5-13 homeless in this state;
5-14 (2) initiate an evaluation of the current and future
5-15 needs for the services;
5-16 (3) assist in coordinating and providing statewide
5-17 services for all homeless individuals in this state;
5-18 (4) increase the flow of information among separate
5-19 providers and appropriate authorities;
5-20 (5) develop guidelines to monitor the provision of
5-21 services for the homeless and the methods of delivering those
5-22 services;
5-23 (6) provide technical assistance to the housing
5-24 finance division of the department in assessing the need for
5-25 housing for individuals with special needs in different localities;
5-26 (7) establish a central resource and information
5-27 center for the homeless in this state; and
6-1 (8) ensure that local or statewide nonprofit
6-2 organizations perform the duties under this section that the
6-3 council is unable to perform [develop, in cooperation with the
6-4 department and the Health and Human Services Commission, a
6-5 strategic plan to address the needs of the homeless in this state].
6-6 Sec. 2306.786. DUTIES OF STATE AGENCY COUNCIL MEMBERS. (a)
6-7 Each agency represented on the council shall report to the
6-8 department a standard set of performance data, as determined by the
6-9 department, on the agency's outcomes related to homelessness.
6-10 (b) Each agency shall contribute resources to the council.
6-11 Sec. 2306.787. PUBLIC HEARINGS. (a) The council may hold,
6-12 throughout the state, public hearings on homelessness issues.
6-13 (b) The department shall provide to the secretary of state
6-14 for publication in the Texas Register a notice of the hearings and
6-15 shall provide for the notice to be given in any newsletter
6-16 published by a nonprofit organization addressing the problem of
6-17 homelessness, local newspapers, and other appropriate sources.
6-18 Sec. 2306.788 [2307.005]. REPORT. The council shall submit
6-19 annually a progress report to the governing bodies of the agencies
6-20 represented on the council.
6-21 Sec. 2306.789 [2307.008]. GIFTS AND GRANTS. The council may
6-22 accept gifts and grants from a public or private source for use in
6-23 carrying out the council's duties under this subchapter [chapter].
6-24 SECTION 4. Section 2307.007, Government Code, is repealed.
6-25 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.