By Zaffirini                                            S.B. No. 44
         77R774 CBH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the creation of a work group on office standards to
 1-3     assist the Texas Department of Human Services in improving the
 1-4     delivery of certain services.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1. Chapter 22, Human Resources Code, is amended by
 1-7     adding Section 22.037 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 22.037.  WORK GROUP ON OFFICE STANDARDS. (a)  A work
 1-9     group on office standards is created to assist the department in
1-10     improving the eligibility, application, and review processes
1-11     relating to the financial assistance, medical assistance, and food
1-12     stamp programs.
1-13           (b)  The commissioner shall appoint the members of the work
1-14     group, which must include balanced representation from:
1-15                 (1)  the house and senate committees having oversight
1-16     of the financial assistance, medical assistance, and food stamp
1-17     programs;
1-18                 (2)  advocates for consumers of financial assistance,
1-19     medical assistance, or food stamps;
1-20                 (3)  providers of financial assistance, medical
1-21     assistance, or food stamp services; and
1-22                 (4)  consumers of financial assistance, medical
1-23     assistance, or food stamps.
1-24           (c)  The department shall provide administrative support,
 2-1     including staff, to the work group.
 2-2           (d)  A member of the work group serves at the will of the
 2-3     commissioner.
 2-4           (e)  The commissioner shall appoint a member of the work
 2-5     group to serve as the presiding officer.
 2-6           (f)  The work group shall meet at the call of the presiding
 2-7     officer.
 2-8           (g)  The work group shall study and make recommendations on
 2-9     ways to improve the eligibility, application, and review processes
2-10     of the financial assistance, medical assistance, and food stamp
2-11     programs.  As part of the study and recommendations required by
2-12     this subsection, the work group shall conduct activities that
2-13     include:
2-14                 (1)  reviewing client communication;
2-15                 (2)  developing uniform standards for department
2-16     service regions;
2-17                 (3)  reviewing food stamp error rate reduction
2-18     measures;
2-19                 (4)  developing comprehensive performance measures;
2-20                 (5)  exploring ways to make services and facilities
2-21     more accessible to working families, including the feasibility of
2-22     alternative or extended office hours, or both, based on regional
2-23     needs; and
2-24                 (6)  reviewing financial assistance policy relating to
2-25     counting resources.
2-26           (h)  The work group shall annually report its findings and
2-27     recommendations to the board.
 3-1           (i)  After evaluating and considering recommendations of the
 3-2     work group reported under Subsection (h), the board shall adopt
 3-3     rules to improve the eligibility, application, and review processes
 3-4     of the financial assistance, medical assistance, and food stamp
 3-5     programs.
 3-6           (j)  The department shall file annually with the governor and
 3-7     legislature a report that details the recommendations of the work
 3-8     group and the actions taken by the department relating to those
 3-9     recommendations.  The department may include the report with the
3-10     report required by Section 21.011(a).
3-11           (k)  The work group is not subject to Chapter 2110,
3-12     Government Code, except that Section 2110.008, Government Code,
3-13     does apply to the work group.
3-14           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.