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AN ACT
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relating to the expansion of faith- and community-based health and |
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human services initiatives. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 535.051, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b) The chief administrative officer of each of the |
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following state agencies, in consultation with the governor, shall |
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designate one employee from the agency to serve as a liaison for |
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faith- and community-based organizations: |
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(1) the Texas Department [Office] of Rural [Community] |
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Affairs; |
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(2) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; |
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(3) the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; |
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(4) the Texas Department of Housing and Community |
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Affairs; |
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(5) the Texas Education Agency; |
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(6) the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission; |
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(7) the Texas Veterans Commission; |
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(8) the Texas Workforce Commission; |
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(9) the Texas Youth Commission; |
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(10) the office of the governor; |
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(11) the Department of Public Safety; |
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(12) the Texas Department of Insurance; |
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(13) the Public Utility Commission of Texas; |
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(14) the office of the attorney general; |
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(15) the Department of Agriculture; |
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(16) the office of the comptroller; |
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(17) the Department of Information Resources; |
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(18) the Office of State-Federal Relations; |
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(19) the office of the secretary of state; and |
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(20) [(10)] other state agencies as determined by the |
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governor. |
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(c) The commissioner of higher education, in consultation |
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with the presiding officer of the interagency coordinating group, |
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shall designate one employee from an institution of higher |
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education, as that term is defined under Section 61.003, Education |
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Code, to serve as a liaison for faith- and community-based |
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organizations. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 535.053(a) and (b), Government Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The interagency coordinating group for faith- and |
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community-based initiatives is composed of each faith- and |
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community-based liaison designated under Section 535.051 and a |
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liaison from the State Commission on National and Community |
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Service. The commission shall provide administrative support to |
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the interagency coordinating group. |
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(b) The liaison from the State Commission on National and |
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Community Service [commission employee designated as a liaison
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under Section 535.051] is the presiding officer of the interagency |
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coordinating group. If the State Commission on National and |
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Community Service is abolished, the liaison from the governor's |
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office is the presiding officer of the interagency coordinating |
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group. |
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SECTION 3. Section 535.054, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 535.054. REPORT [REPORTS]. (a) Not later than |
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December 1 of each year, the interagency coordinating group shall |
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submit a report to the legislature that describes in detail the |
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activities, goals, and progress of the interagency coordinating |
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group. [A liaison designated under Section 535.051 shall:
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[(1)
provide periodic reports to the executive
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commissioner or other chief executive officer who designated the
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liaison, as applicable, on a schedule determined by the person who
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designated the liaison; and
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[(2)
report annually to the governor's office of
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faith- and community-based initiatives and as necessary to the
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State Commission on National and Community Service regarding the
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liaison's efforts to comply with the duties imposed under Sections
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535.052 and 535.053.] |
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(b) The [Each] report made under Subsection (a) [(a)(2)] |
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must be made available to the public through posting on the office |
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of the governor's Internet website[, and the reports may be
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aggregated into a single report for that purpose]. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter B, Chapter 535, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 535.055 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 535.055. TASK FORCE ON IMPROVING RELATIONS WITH |
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NONPROFITS. (a) The interagency coordinating group task force is |
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established to help direct the interagency coordinating group in |
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carrying out the group's duties under this section. The commission |
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shall provide administrative support to the task force. |
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(b) The executive commissioner, in consultation with the |
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presiding officer of the interagency coordinating group, shall |
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appoint as members of the task force one representative from each of |
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the following groups and entities: |
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(1) a statewide nonprofit organization; |
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(2) local governments; |
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(3) faith-based groups; |
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(4) community-based groups; |
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(5) consultants to nonprofit corporations; |
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(6) experts in grant writing; and |
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(7) a statewide association of nonprofit |
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organizations. |
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(c) In addition to the interagency coordinating group's |
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other duties, the interagency coordinating group, in coordination |
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with the task force, shall: |
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(1) develop and implement a plan for improving |
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contracting relationships between state agencies and faith- and |
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community-based organizations; |
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(2) develop best practices for cooperating and |
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collaborating with faith- and community-based organizations; |
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(3) identify and address duplication of services |
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provided by the state and faith- and community-based organizations; |
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and |
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(4) identify and address gaps in state services that |
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faith- and community-based organizations could fill. |
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(d) The task force shall prepare a report describing actions |
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taken or not taken by the interagency coordinating group under this |
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section and include in the report any recommendations relating to |
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legislation necessary to address an issue identified by the group |
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under this section. The task force shall present the report to the |
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House Committee on Human Services or its successor, the House |
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Committee on Public Health or its successor, and the Senate Health |
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and Human Services Committee or its successor not later than |
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September 1, 2012. |
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(e) This section expires September 1, 2013. |
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SECTION 5. Not later than October 1, 2011, the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall |
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appoint members to the interagency coordinating group task force in |
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accordance with Section 535.055, Government Code, as added by this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 1965 was passed by the House on April |
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19, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, 2 present, not |
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voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 1965 was passed by the Senate on May |
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19, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0 |
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. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: _____________________ |
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Date |
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_____________________ |
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Governor |