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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Texas Interagency Council for the Homeless. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 2306.903(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The Texas Interagency Council for the Homeless is |
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composed of: |
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(1) one representative from each of the following |
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agencies, appointed by the administrative head of that agency: |
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(A) the [Texas] Department of State Health |
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Services; |
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(B) [the Texas Department of Human Services;
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[(C)
the Texas Department of Mental Health and
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Mental Retardation;
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[(D)] the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; |
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(C) [(E)] the [Texas] Department of [on] Aging |
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and Disability Services; |
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(D) [(F) the Texas Rehabilitation Commission;
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[(G)] the Texas Education Agency; |
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(E) [(H)
the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug
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Abuse;
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[(I)] the Department of Family and Protective |
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[and Regulatory] Services; |
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(F) [(J)] the Health and Human Services |
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Commission; |
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(G) [(K)] the Texas Workforce Commission; |
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(H) [(L)] the Texas Juvenile Justice Department |
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[Youth Commission]; [and] |
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(I) [(M)] the Texas Veterans Commission; and |
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(J) the Department of Assistive and |
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Rehabilitative Services; |
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(2) two representatives from the department who are |
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appointed by the director, including at least one representative |
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whose duties include management or administration of the community |
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services block grant program or the emergency solutions grant |
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program [one each from the community affairs division and the
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housing finance division, appointed by the director]; and |
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(3) three members representing service providers to |
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the homeless, one each appointed by the governor, the lieutenant |
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governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives. |
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SECTION 2. Section 2306.904(e), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(e) The department shall provide clerical and advisory |
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support staff and may provide fiscal support to the council. |
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SECTION 3. Section 2306.905, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 2306.905. DUTIES OF COUNCIL. (a) The council shall: |
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(1) survey current resources for services for the |
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homeless in this state; |
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(2) initiate an evaluation of the current and future |
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needs for the services; |
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(3) assist in coordinating and providing statewide |
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services for all homeless individuals in this state; |
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(4) increase the flow of information among separate |
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providers and appropriate authorities; |
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(5) develop guidelines to monitor the provision of |
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services for the homeless and the methods of delivering those |
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services; |
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(6) provide technical assistance to the housing |
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finance division of the department in assessing the need for |
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housing for individuals with special needs in different localities; |
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(7) coordinate with the Texas Workforce Commission, |
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local workforce development boards, homeless shelters, and public |
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and private entities to provide homeless individuals information on |
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services available to assist them in obtaining employment and job |
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training; |
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(8) establish a central resource and information |
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center for the homeless in this state; and |
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(9) ensure that local or statewide nonprofit |
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organizations perform the duties under this section that the |
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council is unable to perform. |
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(b) The council and each of its represented agencies may |
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seek program or policy assistance from the Texas Homeless Network |
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in accomplishing the council's duties. |
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SECTION 4. Section 2306.906(b), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) Each agency shall contribute resources to the council |
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unless the agency certifies in writing that the agency is unable to |
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contribute resources during that fiscal period. |
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SECTION 5. Subchapter KK, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 2306.910 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2306.910. MEETING BY TELECONFERENCE. Notwithstanding |
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Chapter 551, a member of the council who resides 20 or more miles |
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away from the location of a council meeting may participate |
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remotely in the meeting by telephone conference call or |
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videoconference and is counted as present at the meeting for |
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purposes of determining whether a quorum of the council is present. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |