1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the membership and activities of the Interagency
1-3 Council on Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), and (g), Section
1-6 114.003, Human Resources Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-7 (b) The council is composed of:
1-8 (1) seven [two] public members, the majority of whom
1-9 [who] are family members of a person with autism or a [some other]
1-10 pervasive developmental disorder, appointed by the governor with
1-11 the advice and consent of the senate; and
1-12 (2) one representative from each of the following
1-13 state agencies, to serve as ex officio members [appointed by the
1-14 commissioner of the respective agency]:
1-15 (A) Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental
1-16 Retardation;
1-17 (B) Texas Department of Health;
1-18 (C) Texas Department of Human Services;
1-19 (D) Texas Education Agency; [and]
1-20 (E) Texas Rehabilitation Commission; and
1-21 (F) Interagency Council on Early Childhood
1-22 Intervention.
1-23 (c) The commissioner or executive head of each state agency
1-24 shall appoint as that agency's representative the person in the
1-25 agency who is most familiar with and best informed about autism and
2-1 other pervasive developmental disorders. An ex officio member
2-2 serves in an advisory capacity only and may not:
2-3 (1) serve as chairperson; or
2-4 (2) vote.
2-5 (d) The public members appointed by the governor serve
2-6 two-year terms that expire on February 1 of each odd-numbered year.
2-7 The public members may be reappointed. A representative of a state
2-8 agency serves at the pleasure of the commissioner or executive head
2-9 of that agency. A public member is entitled to [The members may
2-10 not receive compensation or] reimbursement of the travel [for]
2-11 expenses incurred by the public member while conducting the
2-12 business of the council, as provided in the General Appropriations
2-13 Act.
2-14 (e) The governor shall designate a public member of the
2-15 council as the chairman of the council to serve in that capacity at
2-16 the pleasure of the governor [members of the council shall annually
2-17 elect one member to serve as chairperson].
2-18 (g) Any actions taken by the council must be approved by a
2-19 majority vote of the public members present.
2-20 SECTION 2. Section 114.004, Human Resources Code, is amended
2-21 to read as follows:
2-22 Sec. 114.004. STAFF SUPPORT. The agencies represented on
2-23 the council shall provide staff support to the council from among
2-24 the agency staff who are responsible for coordinating services to
2-25 persons with autism or other pervasive developmental disorders or
2-26 to those persons' families. The council may require the employment
3-1 of staff to perform clerical duties. The commissioner of the Texas
3-2 Department of Human Services shall determine which agency must
3-3 employ clerical staff for the council [is not authorized to expend
3-4 any funds on staff salaries].
3-5 SECTION 3. Subsection (c), Section 114.006, Human Resources
3-6 Code, is repealed.
3-7 SECTION 4. As soon as possible after the effective date of
3-8 this Act, the governor shall appoint five new members to the
3-9 Interagency Council on Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders
3-10 as required by Section 114.003, Human Resources Code, as amended by
3-11 this Act.
3-12 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 361 passed the Senate on
April 11, 2001, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 0, one
present, not voting; and that the Senate concurred in House
amendments on May 1, 2001, by a viva-voce vote.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 361 passed the House, with
amendments, on April 24, 2001, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
_______________________________
Date
_______________________________
Governor