By: Nelson S.B. No. 37

(In the Senate - Filed November 13, 2006; January 23, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services; May 3, 2007, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 3, 2007, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 37 By: Nelson

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the duties of the Texas Information and Referral Network.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 531.0312, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The Texas Information and Referral Network at the commission is the program responsible for the development, coordination, and implementation of a statewide information and referral network that integrates existing community-based structures with state and local agencies. The network must:

(1) include information relating to transportation services provided to clients of state and local agencies;

(2) provide information to the public about the complaint process at each licensing agency listed in Section 101.002, Occupations Code; and

(3) assist consumers in obtaining information about the status of complaints at each licensing agency listed in Section 101.002, Occupations Code.

SECTION 2. Section 101.307, Occupations Code, is transferred to Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is redesignated as Section 531.0272, Government Code, and is further amended to read as follows:

Sec. 531.0272 [101.307]. FUNDING OF TEXAS INFORMATION AND REFERRAL NETWORK [OFFICE]. (a) To provide funding [sufficient] for the Texas Information and Referral Network [office] to exercise the powers and duties prescribed by Sections 531.0312(a)(2) and (3) [this subchapter]:

(1) the initial licensing or registration fee charged by each licensing agency listed in Section 101.002, Occupations Code, is increased by $5; and

(2) the renewal fee charged by each licensing agency listed in Section 101.002, Occupations Code, is increased by $1 for each year for which the license or registration is renewed.

(b) The fee increases authorized under this section shall be collected in the same manner as the assessment under Section 101.006, Occupations Code, and shall be deposited in a special account in the general revenue fund that may be appropriated only for the purposes prescribed by Sections 531.0312(a)(2) and (3). [The council may spend the fees collected under this section only to fund the activities of the office under this subchapter.]

SECTION 3. Sections 101.301 through 101.306, Occupations Code, are repealed.

SECTION 4. The subchapter heading to Subchapter G, Chapter 101, Occupations Code, is repealed.

SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act by the enactment of Section 531.0272, Government Code, applies only to a fee collected for the issuance or renewal of a license on or after October 1, 2007. A fee collected before that date is governed by the law in effect on the date the fee was collected, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.

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