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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the functions of the Office of Immigration and Refugee |
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Affairs and the Governor's Advisory Committee on Immigration and |
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Refugees. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 752.001, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 752.001. OFFICE OF IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE AFFAIRS. |
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The Office of Immigration and Refugee Affairs is [created] within |
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the Health and Human Services Commission [Texas Department of Human
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Services]. The office shall work in conjunction with the office of |
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the secretary of state. |
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SECTION 2. Section 752.003, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 752.003. REFUGEE COORDINATOR. (a) The secretary of |
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state serves as the refugee coordinator for the office unless the |
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governor appoints a person under Subsection (b). |
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(b) The governor may [shall] appoint a person other than the |
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secretary of state as refugee coordinator for the office to serve at |
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the pleasure of the governor. |
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(c) The refugee coordinator shall serve as chief |
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administrative officer of the office and shall ensure coordination |
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of public and private resources in refugee resettlement. |
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SECTION 3. Section 752.004, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 752.004. APPLICATION FOR AND DISTRIBUTION OF FEDERAL |
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FUNDS AND REIMBURSEMENTS. (a) The office shall apply for the |
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maximum amount of federal funds available through the Immigration |
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Reform and Control Act of 1986 (Pub. L. No. 99-603), the |
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Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. Section 1101 et seq.), |
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[and] the Refugee Act of 1980 (8 U.S.C. Section 1521 et seq.), and |
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other federal programs, as appropriate, for use in assisting state |
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agencies, local governments, nonprofit organizations, and |
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faith-based organizations in addressing matters related to |
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immigrants and refugees. The office shall apply for those funds and |
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shall distribute the funds to agencies and other entities |
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responsible for providing services to immigrants, including newly |
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legalized aliens, and refugees in accordance with federal law. The |
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office may retain a portion of the federal funds to cover reasonable |
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costs incurred in securing and administering the funds. The office |
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may delegate to an appropriate state agency the administration of |
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funds under this section. |
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(b) The office shall seek reimbursement from the federal |
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government for any costs incurred by state agencies, local |
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governments, nonprofit organizations, and faith-based |
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organizations in addressing matters related to immigrants and |
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refugees. |
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SECTION 4. Section 752.007, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 752.007. OTHER FUNCTIONS OF OFFICE. In addition to |
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other duties prescribed by this subchapter, the office shall: |
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(1) coordinate public and private programs for the |
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benefit of immigrants and refugees; |
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(2) receive and address inquiries relating to the |
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services available to immigrants or refugees at the local, state, |
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and federal levels; [and] |
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(3) assist local communities with the development of |
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programs to address the needs of immigrants and refugees at the |
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local level; and |
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(4) arrange meetings with appropriate local, state, |
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and federal authorities and the appropriate corresponding |
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authorities in Mexico to develop increased communication, |
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cooperation, and coordination to establish initiatives and |
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government-supported efforts that limit the entrance of |
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undocumented immigrants into this state. |
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SECTION 5. Section 752.021, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 752.021. GOVERNOR'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON IMMIGRATION |
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AND REFUGEES. The Governor's Advisory Committee on Immigration and |
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Refugees is created within the office of the governor. The |
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committee shall advise and make recommendations to the Office of |
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Immigration and Refugee Affairs on immigration and refugee issues, |
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including [the SLIAG program authorized by the Immigration Reform
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and Control Act of 1986 (8 U.S.C. Section 1101 et seq.) and the] |
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refugee assistance programs [authorized by the Refugee Act of 1980
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(8 U.S.C. Section 1521 et seq.)]. |
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SECTION 6. Sections 752.022(a) and (c), Government Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The committee is composed of 12 members appointed by the |
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governor with the advice and consent of the senate as follows: |
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(1) two representatives of the refugee population; |
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(2) two representatives of the immigrant population; |
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(3) three representatives of local provider programs |
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that serve immigrants or refugees and that receive federal funds, |
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with one each from a public health program, a public assistance |
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program, and an education program; |
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(4) three representatives from faith-based |
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organizations that assist local governments with matters related to |
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immigrants and refugees [voluntary resettlement agencies that
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receive state or federal funds]; |
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(5) one representative from a legal organization that |
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is involved in issues relating to immigrants or refugees; and |
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(6) one representative from a service organization |
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that works with immigrants or refugees. |
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(c) The governor shall appoint a member of the committee to |
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serve as the chair of the committee [for a one-year term]. |
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SECTION 7. Subchapter B, Chapter 752, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 752.0231 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 752.0231. OTHER LAW. Section 2110.008 does not apply |
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to the committee. |
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SECTION 8. Section 752.024, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 752.024. FUNCTIONS OF COMMITTEE. The committee shall: |
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(1) advise and make recommendations to the Office of |
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Immigration and Refugee Affairs regarding policy, planning, and |
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priorities for matters related to immigrants and refugees [the
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SLIAG program and refugee assistance programs]; |
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(2) advise and make recommendations to the Office of |
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Immigration and Refugee Affairs regarding coordination of the |
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efforts of all public agencies involved in health, human services, |
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and education matters that relate to federal immigration and |
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refugee laws and rules [or implementation of the SLIAG program or
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refugee assistance programs]; |
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(3) encourage communication and cooperation among |
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local agencies and programs, state agencies, immigration-related |
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and refugee-related legal and service agencies, and the federal |
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government; |
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(4) assist the Office of Immigration and Refugee |
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Affairs in applying for the maximum amount of federal funds |
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available for immigrant-related [SLIAG-related] programs and |
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activities and refugee-related programs and activities and in |
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identifying local programs and costs relating to immigration or |
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refugees for which the state or a political subdivision may receive |
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reimbursement; |
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(5) provide information to programs and activities |
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that serve and encourage legalization and education of residents of |
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this state; |
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(6) review issues related to immigrants and refugees |
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[federal issues regarding the SLIAG program and refugee assistance
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programs] and make recommendations to the Office of Immigration and |
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Refugee Affairs to encourage the development of a state response to |
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those [federal] issues; |
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(7) [review and make recommendations to the Office of
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Immigration and Refugee Affairs and state agencies to ensure that
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the system of fiscal and program operations for the SLIAG program
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and refugee assistance programs is consistent with existing state
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and federal requirements;
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[(8)] assist the Office of Immigration and Refugee |
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Affairs in the development of an annual report on the status of |
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matters related to immigrants and refugees [the SLIAG program and
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refugee assistance programs] in the state; |
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(8) [(9)] advise and make recommendations to the |
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Office of Immigration and Refugee Affairs on other related matters |
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as directed by the governor; and |
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(9) [(10)] assist the Office of Immigration and |
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Refugee Affairs to better address issues related to immigrants and |
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refugees confronting the state and local communities [in the
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development of a spending plan for fiscal years 1993 and 1994
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proposing spending priorities for SLIAG funds for services to
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eligible legalized aliens and for other federal funds available to
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benefit immigrants or refugees in the state]. |
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SECTION 9. (a) Not later than January 1, 2016, the governor |
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shall appoint the members of the Governor's Advisory Committee on |
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Immigration and Refugees as provided by Section 752.022(a), |
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Government Code, as amended by this Act. The committee is |
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re-created on the date the governor makes the appointments as |
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provided by this subsection. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Section 752.022(b), Government Code, |
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the terms of the members of the advisory committee appointed as |
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provided by Subsection (a) of this section expire February 1, 2017. |
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SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |