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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation and operation of a council to increase |
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state efforts to offer service-enriched housing through increased |
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coordination of housing and health services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 2306, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter NN to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER NN. HOUSING AND HEALTH SERVICES COORDINATION COUNCIL |
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Sec. 2306.1091. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "council" |
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means the housing and health services coordination council. |
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Sec. 2306.1092. COMPOSITION. (a) The department shall |
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establish a housing and health services coordination council. |
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(b) The council is composed of 15 members consisting of: |
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(1) the director; |
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(2) one representative from each of the following |
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agencies, appointed by the head of that agency: |
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(A) the Office of Rural Community Affairs; |
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(B) the Texas State Affordable Housing |
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Corporation; |
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(C) the Health and Human Services Commission; |
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(D) the Department of Assistive and |
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Rehabilitative Services; and |
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(E) the Department of Aging and Disability |
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Services; |
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(3) one representative from the Department of |
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Agriculture who is: |
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(A) knowledgeable about the Texans Feeding |
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Texans and Retire in Texas programs or similar programs; and |
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(B) appointed by the head of that agency; |
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(4) one member who is: |
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(A) a member of an advisory committee to the |
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Department of Aging and Disability Services that promotes |
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independence for older adults and persons with disabilities; and |
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(B) appointed by the governor; and |
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(5) one representative from each of the following |
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interest groups, appointed by the governor: |
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(A) financial institutions; |
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(B) multifamily housing developers; |
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(C) health services entities; |
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(D) nonprofit organizations; |
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(E) consumers of service-enriched housing; |
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(F) advocates for minority issues; and |
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(G) rural communities. |
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(c) A member of the council appointed under Subsection |
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(b)(2) must have, subject to the approval of the head of the agency, |
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authority to make decisions for and commit resources of the agency |
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that the member represents and must have: |
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(1) administrative responsibility for agency programs |
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for older adults or persons with disabilities; |
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(2) knowledge or experience regarding the |
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implementation of projects that integrate housing and health |
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services; or |
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(3) knowledge or experience regarding services used by |
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older adults or persons with disabilities. |
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(d) The director serves as the presiding officer of the |
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council. |
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Sec. 2306.1093. TERMS. (a) A member of the council who |
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represents a state agency serves at the pleasure of the head of that |
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agency. |
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(b) Members of the council who are appointed by the governor |
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serve staggered six-year terms, with the terms of two or three |
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members expiring on September 1 of each odd-numbered year. |
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Sec. 2306.1094. OPERATION OF COUNCIL. (a) The council |
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shall meet at least quarterly. |
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(b) The department shall provide clerical and advisory |
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support staff to the council. |
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(c) Except as provided by Section 2306.1095, Chapter 2110 |
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does not apply to the size, composition, or duration of the council. |
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Sec. 2306.1095. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. (a) A |
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member of the council who is appointed by the governor may not |
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receive compensation for service on the council. The member may |
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receive reimbursement from the department for actual and necessary |
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expenses incurred in performing council functions as provided by |
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Section 2110.004. |
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(b) A member of the council who is not appointed by the |
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governor may not receive compensation for service on the council or |
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reimbursement for expenses incurred in performing council |
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functions. |
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Sec. 2306.1096. DUTIES; BIENNIAL REPORT. (a) The council |
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shall: |
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(1) develop and implement policies to coordinate and |
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increase state efforts to offer service-enriched housing; |
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(2) identify barriers preventing or slowing |
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service-enriched housing efforts, including barriers attributable |
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to the following factors: |
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(A) regulatory requirements and limitations; |
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(B) administrative limitations; |
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(C) limitations on funding; and |
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(D) ineffective or limited coordination; |
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(3) develop a system to cross-educate selected staff |
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in state housing and health services agencies to increase the |
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number of staff with expertise in both areas and to coordinate |
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relevant staff activities of those agencies; |
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(4) identify opportunities for state housing and |
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health services agencies to provide technical assistance and |
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training to local housing and health services entities about: |
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(A) the cross-education of staff; |
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(B) coordination among those entities; and |
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(C) opportunities to increase local efforts to |
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create service-enriched housing; and |
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(5) develop suggested performance measures to track |
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progress in: |
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(A) the reduction or elimination of barriers in |
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creating service-enriched housing; |
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(B) increasing the coordination between state |
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housing and health services agencies; |
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(C) increasing the number of state housing and |
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health services staff who are cross-educated or who have expertise |
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in both housing and health services programs; and |
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(D) the provision of technical assistance to |
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local communities by state housing and health services staff to |
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increase the number of service-enriched housing projects. |
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(b) The council shall develop a biennial plan to implement |
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the goals described by Subsection (a). |
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(c) Not later than August 1 of each even-numbered year, the |
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council shall deliver a report of the council's findings and |
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recommendations to the governor and the Legislative Budget Board. |
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Sec. 2306.1097. GIFTS AND GRANTS. The council may solicit |
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and accept gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of this |
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subchapter. |
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Sec. 2306.1098. DUTIES OF EMPLOYEES PROVIDING ADVISORY |
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SUPPORT TO COUNCIL. Department employees assigned to provide |
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advisory support to the council shall: |
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(1) identify sources of funding from this state and |
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the federal government that may be used to provide integrated |
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housing and health services; |
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(2) determine the requirements and application |
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guidelines to obtain those funds; |
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(3) provide training materials that assist the |
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development and financing of a service-enriched housing project; |
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(4) provide information regarding: |
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(A) effective methods to collaborate with |
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governmental entities, service providers, and financial |
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institutions; and |
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(B) the use of layered financing to provide and |
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finance service-enriched housing; |
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(5) create a financial feasibility model that assists |
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in making a preliminary determination of the financial viability of |
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proposed service-enriched housing projects, including models that |
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allow a person to analyze multiuse projects that facilitate the |
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development of projects that will: |
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(A) address the needs of communities with |
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different populations; and |
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(B) achieve economies of scale required to make |
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the projects financially viable; |
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(6) facilitate communication between state agencies, |
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sources of funding, service providers, and other entities to reduce |
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or eliminate barriers to service-enriched housing projects; |
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(7) provide training about local, state, and federal |
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funding sources and the requirements for those sources; |
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(8) develop a database to identify, describe, monitor, |
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and track the progress of all service-enriched housing projects |
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developed in this state with state or federal financial assistance; |
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(9) conduct a biennial evaluation and include in the |
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council's report to the governor and the Legislative Budget Board |
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under Section 2306.1096 information regarding: |
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(A) the capacity of statewide long-term care |
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providers; and |
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(B) interest by housing developers in investing |
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in service-enriched housing; |
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(10) to increase the consistency in housing |
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regulations, recommend changes to home and community-based |
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Medicaid waivers that are up for renewal; |
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(11) research best practices with respect to |
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service-enriched housing projects subsidized by other states; and |
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(12) create and maintain a clearinghouse of |
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information that contains tools and resources for entities seeking |
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to create or finance service-enriched housing projects. |
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SECTION 2. (a) As soon as possible after the effective date |
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of this Act, the governor and the heads of the applicable state |
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agencies shall appoint members to the housing and health services |
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coordination council in accordance with Subchapter NN, Chapter |
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2306, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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(b) In making initial appointments to the housing and health |
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services coordination council, the governor shall appoint two |
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members to serve a term expiring September 1, 2011, three members to |
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serve a term expiring September 1, 2013, and three members to serve |
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a term expiring September 1, 2015. |
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SECTION 3. Not later than September 1, 2010, the housing and |
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health services coordination council shall submit the first report |
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of the council's findings and recommendations as required by |
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Subchapter NN, Chapter 2306, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |