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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an interim study regarding the identification of health |
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and human services programs that can be privatized. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. INTERIM COMMITTEE; STUDY. (a) The joint interim |
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committee on the privatization of health and human services |
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programs is established to study and identify health and human |
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services programs that can be provided through a contract with a |
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private service provider. The committee shall report its findings |
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and recommend: |
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(1) five health and human services programs each with |
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an annual budget of $5 million or more that can be provided through |
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a contract with a private service provider; and |
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(2) five health and human services programs each with |
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an annual budget of less than $5 million that can be provided |
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through a contract with a private service provider. |
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(b) The joint interim committee may establish appropriate |
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criteria for the study to accomplish the study's purpose. The study |
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must include an examination of: |
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(1) a health and human services program's actual |
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annual cost of providing services under the program; and |
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(2) the estimated cost of providing the same services |
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if transferred to a private service provider. |
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(c) The comptroller shall assist the joint interim |
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committee by performing an external audit of a health and human |
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services program at the committee's request. The comptroller shall |
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file a report of each audit with the joint interim committee. |
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(d) The joint interim committee shall be composed of six |
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senators appointed by the lieutenant governor and six members of |
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the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house |
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of representatives. |
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(e) The lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of |
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representatives shall each designate a co-chair from among the |
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joint interim committee members. |
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(f) The joint interim committee shall convene at the joint |
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call of the co-chairs. |
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(g) The joint interim committee has all other powers and |
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duties provided to a special or select committee by the rules of the |
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senate and house of representatives, by Subchapter B, Chapter 301, |
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Government Code, and by policies of the senate and house committees |
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on administration. |
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(h) Not later than January 1, 2017, the joint interim |
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committee shall report the committee's findings and |
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recommendations to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the |
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house of representatives, the governor, the executive commissioner |
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of the Health and Human Services Commission, and each house and |
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senate standing committee with primary jurisdiction over health and |
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human services. The joint interim committee shall include in its |
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recommendations specific health and human services programs that |
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can be provided through a contract with a private service provider. |
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(i) From the contingent expense fund of the senate and the |
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contingent expense fund of the house of representatives equally, |
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the members of the joint interim committee shall be reimbursed for |
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expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of this Act in |
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accordance with the senate and house of representatives rules of |
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procedure and the policies of the committees on administration. |
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Other necessary expenses of operation shall be paid from the |
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contingent expense fund of the senate and the contingent expense |
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fund of the house of representatives equally. |
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SECTION 2. ABOLITION OF COMMITTEE. The joint interim |
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committee on the privatization of health and human services |
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programs is abolished and this Act expires September 1, 2017. |
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SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |