By Madla S.B. No. 558
77R2956 SMJ-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to an advisory committee on reducing drug abuse.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Chapter 461, Health and Safety Code, is amended by
1-5 adding Section 461.017 to read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 461.017. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON REDUCING DRUG ABUSE. (a)
1-7 The Drug Abuse Reduction Advisory Committee is composed of the
1-8 following 19 members:
1-9 (1) five representatives of the public from different
1-10 geographic regions of the state who have knowledge and expertise in
1-11 issues relating to drug abuse reduction and who are appointed by
1-12 the executive director of the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug
1-13 Abuse; and
1-14 (2) one representative of each of the following
1-15 agencies or offices who is appointed by the executive director or
1-16 commissioner of the agency or office and who is directly involved
1-17 in the agency's or office's policies, programs, or funding
1-18 activities relating to drug abuse reduction:
1-19 (A) the criminal justice division of the
1-20 governor's office;
1-21 (B) the Criminal Justice Policy Council;
1-22 (C) the Department of Protective and Regulatory
1-23 Services;
1-24 (D) the Department of Public Safety of the State
2-1 of Texas;
2-2 (E) the Health and Human Services Commission;
2-3 (F) the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission;
2-4 (G) the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug
2-5 Abuse;
2-6 (H) the Texas Department of Criminal Justice;
2-7 (I) the Texas Department of Health;
2-8 (J) the Texas Department of Human Services;
2-9 (K) the Texas Department of Mental Health and
2-10 Mental Retardation;
2-11 (L) the Texas Education Agency;
2-12 (M) the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission; and
2-13 (N) the Texas Youth Commission.
2-14 (b) The representative of the Texas Commission on Alcohol
2-15 and Drug Abuse shall serve as the presiding officer of the
2-16 committee. The commission may provide administrative support to
2-17 the committee.
2-18 (c) The committee shall meet at least once in each quarter
2-19 of each calendar year on dates determined by the committee.
2-20 (d) The committee shall serve as a single source of
2-21 information for the governor, the legislature, and the public about
2-22 issues relating to drug abuse, including available prevention
2-23 programs and services.
2-24 (e) The committee shall develop a statewide strategy to
2-25 reduce drug abuse. The strategy must:
2-26 (1) incorporate multidisciplinary approaches using
2-27 current empirical research;
3-1 (2) include performance-based measurement and
3-2 accountability standards, short-term objectives, and ten-year
3-3 targets for reducing drug abuse;
3-4 (3) coordinate, to the extent possible, the drug abuse
3-5 reduction efforts of private sector entities and local, state, and
3-6 federal agencies, including the Office of National Drug Control
3-7 Policy; and
3-8 (4) provide opportunities for representatives from the
3-9 public and private sectors to comment on the committee's activities
3-10 and make recommendations related to the strategy.
3-11 (f) The committee shall identify lead or contributing
3-12 agencies or offices that shall implement the strategy described in
3-13 Subsection (e). The committee shall coordinate the implementation
3-14 of the strategy by those agencies or offices.
3-15 (g) The committee may establish additional advisory
3-16 committees composed of representatives from governmental entities
3-17 and the private sector to assist the committee in carrying out its
3-18 duties.
3-19 (h) Not later than January 15 of each odd-numbered year, the
3-20 committee shall present to the governor, the lieutenant governor,
3-21 and the speaker of the house of representatives a report that
3-22 states:
3-23 (1) the committee's progress in developing and
3-24 coordinating the strategy described in Subsection (e);
3-25 (2) the status and funding of state programs relating
3-26 to reducing drug abuse; and
3-27 (3) recommendations for legislation to address issues
4-1 involved in reducing drug abuse.
4-2 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
4-3 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
4-4 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
4-5 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
4-6 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.