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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the organization and employees of the Department of |
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Aging and Disability Services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 161, Human Resources Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 161.0515 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 161.0515. ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF STATE SCHOOLS. |
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(a) Subject to the approval of the executive commissioner, the |
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commissioner shall employ an assistant commissioner of state |
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schools. The assistant commissioner is to be selected according to |
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education, training, experience, and demonstrated ability. |
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(b) The assistant commissioner reports directly to the |
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commissioner. |
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(c) The assistant commissioner shall supervise the |
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operation of the state schools. As part of that duty, the assistant |
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commissioner shall: |
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(1) verify the availability of space at state schools; |
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(2) verify and certify employee qualifications for |
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state school employees; |
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(3) verify that quality health and medical services |
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are being provided in state schools; and |
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(4) work with the commissioner to create |
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administrative guidelines for proper implementation of statutory |
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law and judicial decisions. |
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SECTION 2. Section 533.035, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) If there is a state school in the service area of a |
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local mental retardation authority, the superintendent of that |
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facility is an ex officio voting member of the authority's |
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governing board. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 551, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 551.023 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 551.023. SUPERINTENDENT OF STATE SCHOOL. (a) The |
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superintendent of a state school reports directly to the assistant |
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commissioner of state schools. |
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(b) The superintendent of a state school shall serve as a |
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member of any interdisciplinary team that assesses whether a |
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client who does not have a guardian may or should be removed from |
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the facility. |
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SECTION 4. The commissioner of the Department of Aging and |
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Disability Services shall employ an assistant commissioner of state |
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schools as soon as possible after the effective date of this Act. On |
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the date the assistant commissioner is employed, the position of |
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section director over state schools is eliminated. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |