By: Farias (Senate Sponsor - Van de Putte) H.B. No. 1784
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 12, 2011;
  May 13, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran
  Affairs and Military Installations; May 19, 2011, reported
  favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 3, Nays 0; May 19, 2011,
  sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to requiring an interagency memorandum of understanding
  regarding the Public Assistance Reporting Information System and to
  the use of data from that system.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 531.0998 to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.0998.  MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REGARDING
  PUBLIC ASSISTANCE REPORTING INFORMATION SYSTEM; MAXIMIZATION OF
  BENEFITS. (a)  In this section, "system" means the Public
  Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) operated by the
  Administration for Children and Families of the United States
  Department of Health and Human Services.
         (b)  The commission, the Texas Veterans Commission, the
  Veterans' Land Board, and the Department of Aging and Disability
  Services shall enter into a memorandum of understanding for the
  purposes of:
               (1)  coordinating and collecting information about the
  use and analysis among state agencies of data received from the
  system; and
               (2)  developing new strategies for state agencies to
  use system data in ways that:
                     (A)  generate fiscal savings for the state; and
                     (B)  maximize the availability of and access to
  benefits for veterans.
         (c)  The commission, the Texas Veterans Commission, and the
  Department of Aging and Disability Services shall coordinate to
  assist veterans in maximizing the benefits available to each
  veteran by using the system.
         (d)  The commission and the Texas Veterans Commission
  together may determine the geographic scope of the efforts
  described by Subsection (c).
         (e)  Not later than October 1, 2012, the commission, the
  Texas Veterans Commission, the Veterans' Land Board, and the
  Department of Aging and Disability Services collectively shall
  submit to the governor and the Legislative Budget Board a report
  describing:
               (1)  the frequency and success with which state
  agencies have used the system;
               (2)  the costs to the state that were avoided as a
  result of state agencies' use of the system; and
               (3)  recommendations for future use of the system by
  state agencies.
         (f)  Subsection (e) and this subsection expire September 1,
  2013.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than December 1, 2011, the Health and
  Human Services Commission, the Texas Veterans Commission, the
  Veterans' Land Board, and the Department of Aging and Disability
  Services shall enter into a memorandum of understanding as required
  by Section 531.0998, Government Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
 
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