BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2039

By: Truitt

Human Services

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Beginning in 1987, Texas bought 42 separate properties specifically designated for providing community-based facilities for difficult-to-place persons with developmental disabilities. These properties are currently operated and managed by 10 community mental health and mental retardation (MHMR) centers in Texas for the purpose of providing services for persons with developmental disabilities.  However, the MHMR centers currently do not own the properties. This arrangement presents significant challenges to efficiently operating the various MHMR group homes. The transfer of these properties to the community MHMR centers would allow the centers to assume ownership of the properties and pay off the monthly bond debt to the Department of Aging and Disability Services. This transfer would eliminate the state’s administrative paperwork and other requirements related to the management of the lease agreements for the 42 properties, thereby improving efficiency.

C.S.H.B. 2039 transfers 42 separate state properties to 10 community MHMR centers.  The MHMR centers.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2039 authorizes the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) to transfer certain state property from DADS to the following community mental health and mental retardation centers: the Anderson Cherokee Community Enrichment Services d/b/a ACCESS, the Border Region Mental Health Mental Retardation Community Center, the Bexar County Board of Trustees for Mental Health Mental Retardation Services d/b/a The Center for Health Care Services, the Heart of Texas Region Mental Health Mental Retardation Center, the Hill Country Community Mental Health Mental Retardation Center, Lakes Regional Mental Health Mental Retardation Center, Mental Health Mental Retardation of Tarrant County, Texana Center, Texas Panhandle Mental Health Mental Retardation, and West Texas Centers for Mental Health Mental Retardation.  The bill specifies the boundaries for each of the properties to be transferred.     

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 2039 differs from the original by making technical changes to the physical addresses for specific properties to be transferred.