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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Legislative Blue Ribbon Panel on Aging Issues. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. BLUE RIBBON PANEL ESTABLISHED. The Blue Ribbon |
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Panel on Aging Issues is established to study issues relating to the |
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aging population of Texas and to address the needs of that |
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population. |
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SECTION 2. DEFINITION. In this Act, "panel" means the Blue |
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Ribbon Panel on Aging Issues. |
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SECTION 3. COMPOSITION OF PANEL. (a) The panel is composed |
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of: |
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(1) two members of the public appointed by the |
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governor; |
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(2) two members of the senate and one public member |
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appointed by the lieutenant governor; and |
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(3) two members of the house of representatives and |
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one public member appointed by the speaker of the house of |
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representatives. |
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(b) A member of the panel serves at the pleasure of the |
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appointing official. |
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(c) The panel shall elect a presiding officer from among the |
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members of the panel. |
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(d) A public member of the panel may be reimbursed for the |
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expenses incurred by the member while conducting the business of |
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the panel at the rate established in the General Appropriations |
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Act. |
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SECTION 4. PANEL POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The panel shall: |
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(1) meet at the call of the presiding officer; |
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(2) receive information about rules proposed or |
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adopted by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission relating to the aging population; |
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(3) review specific recommendations for legislation |
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proposed by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission, a health and human services agency described |
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by Section 531.001, Government Code, or the attorney general |
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relating to the aging population; |
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(4) monitor the effectiveness and efficacy of the |
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regulatory systems of this state relating to the aging population; |
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and |
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(5) request reports and other information from the |
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executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission, |
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a health and human services agency described by Section 531.001, |
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Government Code, and the attorney general relating to the aging |
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population. |
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(b) The panel shall use the existing staff resources of the |
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senate and the house of representatives to assist the panel in |
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performing its duties under this section. |
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SECTION 5. REPORT. (a) The panel shall submit a report |
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based on its findings to the 81st Legislature not later than |
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September 1, 2008. |
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(b) The report must include: |
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(1) identification of significant problems in the |
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regulatory systems related to the aging population, with |
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recommendations for action; |
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(2) the effectiveness and efficiency of the regulatory |
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systems of this state related to the aging population, with |
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recommendations for any necessary research; |
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(3) an analysis of the types of services available to |
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the aging citizens of this state; and |
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(4) recommendations for legislative action. |
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SECTION 6. APPOINTMENT OF PANEL. The governor, the |
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lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of |
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representatives shall appoint members of the Blue Ribbon Panel on |
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Aging Issues, as created by this Act, not later than the 30th day |
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after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 7. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |