By:  West                                              S.B. No. 875
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to participation of fathers in programs and services
 1-3     administered by the Health and Human Services Commission and
 1-4     health and human services agencies and functions performed by the
 1-5     office of the attorney general.
 1-6           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-7           SECTION 1.  Subsection (c), Section 531.022, Government Code,
 1-8     is amended to read as follows:
 1-9           (c)  The plan must include the following goals:
1-10                 (1)  the development of a comprehensive, statewide
1-11     approach to the planning of health and human services;
1-12                 (2)  the creation of a continuum of care for families
1-13     and individuals in need of health and human services;
1-14                 (3)  the integration of health and human services to
1-15     provide for the efficient and timely delivery of those services;
1-16                 (4)  the maximization of existing resources through
1-17     effective funds management and the sharing of administrative
1-18     functions;
1-19                 (5)  the effective use of management information
1-20     systems to continually improve service delivery;
1-21                 (6)  the provision of systemwide accountability through
1-22     effective monitoring mechanisms;
1-23                 (7)  the promotion of teamwork among the health and
1-24     human services agencies and the provision of incentives for
1-25     creativity; [and]
 2-1                 (8)  the fostering of innovation at the local level;
 2-2     and
 2-3                 (9)  the encouragement of full participation of fathers
 2-4     in programs and services relating to children.
 2-5           SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
 2-6     amended by adding Section 531.055 to read as follows:
 2-7           Sec. 531.055.  PARTICIPATION BY FATHERS.  (a)  The commission
 2-8     and each health and human services agency shall periodically
 2-9     examine commission or agency policies and procedures to determine
2-10     if the policies and procedures deter or encourage participation of
2-11     fathers in commission or agency programs and services relating to
2-12     children.
2-13           (b)  Based on the examination required under Subsection (a),
2-14     the commission and each health and human services agency shall
2-15     modify policies and procedures as necessary to permit full
2-16     participation of fathers in commission or agency programs and
2-17     services relating to children in all appropriate circumstances.
2-18           SECTION 3.  Subchapter B, Chapter 402, Government Code, is
2-19     amended by adding Section 402.030 to read as follows:
2-20           Sec. 402.030.  PARTICIPATION BY FATHERS.  (a)  The attorney
2-21     general shall periodically examine office policies and procedures
2-22     to determine if the policies and procedures deter or encourage
2-23     participation of fathers in functions performed by the attorney
2-24     general relating to children.
2-25           (b)  Based on the examination required under Subsection (a),
2-26     the attorney general shall modify policies and procedures as
 3-1     necessary to permit full participation of fathers in functions
 3-2     performed by the attorney general relating to children in all
 3-3     appropriate circumstances.
 3-4           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.