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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the humanitarian relief |
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reimbursement task force. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 403, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter R to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER R. HUMANITARIAN RELIEF REIMBURSEMENT TASK FORCE |
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Sec. 403.501. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Task force" means the humanitarian relief |
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reimbursement task force. |
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(2) "Humanitarian relief" includes services related |
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to public education, health and human services, and child |
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protective services provided to a refugee child by: |
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(A) a state agency or entity; |
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(B) local governments; |
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(C) nonprofit and community-based organizations; |
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and |
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(D) faith-based organizations. |
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(3) "Refugee child" means a child who has been |
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released into communities in this state by: |
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(A) the Office of Refugee Resettlement; or |
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(B) United States Customs and Border Protection |
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or United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, pending an |
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immigration hearing. |
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Sec. 403.502. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSES. The humanitarian |
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relief reimbursement task force is established to: |
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(1) determine public and private costs incurred in |
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providing humanitarian relief, including costs incurred by |
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providing public education, health and human services, and child |
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protective services, to refugee children; and |
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(2) produce a report outlining public and private |
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costs incurred in providing humanitarian relief to refugee children |
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and distribute that report to state and federal officials. |
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Sec. 403.503. COMPOSITION. The task force is composed of |
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eight members to be appointed by the comptroller as follows: |
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(1) one representative of a faith-based organization |
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providing direct humanitarian relief to refugee children in this |
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state; |
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(2) one representative of a community-based |
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organization providing direct humanitarian relief to refugee |
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children in this state; |
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(3) one member who is a superintendent of a school |
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district providing direct humanitarian relief to refugee children; |
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(4) one representative of a law enforcement agency; |
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(5) one representative of the Texas Education Agency; |
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(6) one representative of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission; |
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(7) one representative of the comptroller; and |
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(8) one representative of a foundation that invests in |
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humanitarian relief efforts for refugee children in this state. |
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Sec. 403.504. MEETINGS. (a) The task force shall meet in |
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person at least three times each year and may hold additional |
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meetings in person or by conference call if necessary. |
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(b) Section 551.125 applies to a meeting held by conference |
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call under this section, except that Section 551.125(b) does not |
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apply. |
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Sec. 403.505. COMPENSATION. A member of the task force may |
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not receive compensation for service on the task force. |
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Sec. 403.506. HUMANITARIAN RELIEF REIMBURSEMENT REPORT. |
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(a) Using funds available to the task force under Section 403.507, |
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the task force shall partner with an independent third party to |
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produce a report outlining the public and private costs incurred in |
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providing humanitarian relief to refugee children that are not |
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reimbursed by the federal government. |
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(b) The task force shall submit the report to the governor, |
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lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and |
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comptroller. The task force shall also submit the report to the |
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president of the United States, the secretary of the United States |
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Department of Health and Human Services, the secretary of the |
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United States Department of Education, and each member of the Texas |
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delegation to the United States Senate and House of |
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Representatives. |
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Sec. 403.507. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The |
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comptroller may accept on behalf of the task force a gift, grant, or |
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donation from any source to carry out the purposes of this |
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subchapter. Notwithstanding any other provision of this |
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subchapter, the comptroller is not required to convene the task |
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force to produce the report if sufficient private gifts, grants, or |
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donations are not available. |
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Sec. 403.508. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished and |
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this subchapter expires December 31, 2016. |
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SECTION 2. (a) Not later than December 31, 2015, the |
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comptroller of public accounts shall, subject to Section 403.507, |
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Government Code, as added by this Act, convene the task force |
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required under Subchapter R, Chapter 403, Government Code, as added |
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by this Act. |
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(b) If the comptroller of public accounts convenes the task |
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force under Subsection (a) of this section, not later than October |
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1, 2016, the task force shall submit the report required under |
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Subchapter R, Chapter 403, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2015. |