79R6642 KLA-D

By:  Deuell                                                       S.B. No. 1515



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the implementation of the Texas Integrated Eligibility 
and Redesign System.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  (a)  The Health and Human Services Commission 
shall suspend all activities related to establishing a call center 
under Section 531.063, Government Code, as added by Chapter 198, 
Acts of the 78th Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, including 
conducting negotiations regarding a proposed contract for a call 
center, and, if the commission entered into a contract for the 
establishment of a call center under Section 531.063, Government 
Code, as added by Chapter 198, Acts of the 78th Legislature, Regular 
Session, 2003, before the effective date of this Act, the 
commission may not renew the contract until the commission has:
		(1)  fully developed and tested the Texas Integrated 
Eligibility and Redesign System;
		(2)  determined that the system is operational for all 
programs with respect to which it will be used; and
		(3)  submitted the report required by Section 2 of this 
Act.                
	(b)  In determining whether the Texas Integrated Eligibility 
and Redesign System is operational for all programs with respect to 
which it will be used as required by Subsection (a)(2) of this 
section, the Health and Human Services Commission shall consider 
whether the system:
		(1)  has been fully tested and determined to be 
operational with respect to all programs the system is designed to 
serve;
		(2)  has been tested and shown to be operational under 
caseloads that are at least equal to 75 percent of the full 
statewide caseloads of the programs the system is designed to 
serve; and
		(3)  when tested under the full statewide caseloads of 
the programs the system is designed to serve, meets or exceeds the 
levels of timeliness and accuracy provided by the current 
automations systems that the system is designed to replace.
	SECTION 2.  If the Health and Human Services Commission 
determines that the Texas Integrated Eligibility and Redesign 
System is operational for all programs with respect to which it will 
be used, the executive commissioner of the commission shall submit 
to the governor and the presiding officers of the standing 
committees of the senate and house of representatives having 
primary jurisdiction over health and human services a report 
stating that the criteria specified by Section 1(b) of this Act have 
been met and providing evidence of that fact.  If, at the time the 
report is submitted, the legislature is not convened in a regular or 
special session,  the executive commissioner shall also submit the 
report to the Legislative Budget Board.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2005.