By: Lucio  S.B. No. 838
         (In the Senate - Filed February 27, 2015; March 4, 2015,
  read first time and referred to Subcommittee on Border Security;
  May 5, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute to Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military
  Installations; May 11, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0;
  May 11, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 838 By:  Lucio
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the functions of the Office of Immigration and Refugee
  Affairs, the Governor's Advisory Committee on Immigration and
  Refugees, and use of the state's disaster contingency fund for
  purposes related to immigration and refugees.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 418.073, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (i) to read as follows:
         (i)  Money in the disaster contingency fund may be used to
  provide assistance for relief of a humanitarian crisis in
  accordance with Section 752.009(b).
         SECTION 2.  Section 752.001, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 752.001.  OFFICE OF IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE AFFAIRS.
  (a)  The Office of Immigration and Refugee Affairs is [created]
  within the Health and Human Services Commission [Texas Department
  of Human Services].
         (b)  The office shall work in conjunction with the office of
  the secretary of state. The office and the secretary of state shall
  enter into a memorandum of understanding that clearly defines the
  responsibilities of each office under this subchapter.
         SECTION 3.  Section 752.004, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 752.004.  APPLICATION FOR AND DISTRIBUTION OF FEDERAL
  FUNDS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. (a)  The secretary of state, on
  behalf of the office, shall apply for the maximum amount of federal
  funds available through the Immigration Reform and Control Act of
  1986 (Pub. L. No. 99-603), the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
  U.S.C. Section 1101 et seq.), [and] the Refugee Act of 1980 (8
  U.S.C. Section 1521 et seq.), and other federal programs, as
  appropriate, for use in assisting state agencies, local
  governments, nonprofit organizations, and faith-based
  organizations in addressing matters related to immigrants and
  refugees. The secretary of state, on behalf of the office, shall
  apply for those funds and shall distribute the funds to agencies and
  other entities responsible for providing services to immigrants,
  including newly legalized aliens, and refugees in accordance with
  federal law. The office may retain a portion of the federal funds
  to cover reasonable costs incurred in securing and administering
  the funds. The office may delegate to an appropriate state agency
  the administration of funds under this section.
         (b)  The secretary of state, on behalf of the office, shall
  pursue federal funding opportunities to assist state agencies,
  local governments, nonprofit organizations, and faith-based
  organizations with costs associated with addressing matters
  related to immigrants and refugees.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter A, Chapter 752, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 752.0075 to read as follows:
         Sec. 752.0075.  INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS. The secretary of
  state, on behalf of the office, shall arrange meetings with
  appropriate local, state, and federal authorities and the
  appropriate corresponding international authorities, including
  authorities in Mexico, to develop increased communication,
  cooperation, and coordination to establish initiatives and
  government-supported efforts that limit the entrance of unlawful
  aliens into this state.
         SECTION 5.  Section 752.009, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 752.009.  FUNDING. (a)  Except for any unspent
  appropriations transferred under this Act or any gifts, grants, or
  donations accepted under this Act, the Office of Immigration and
  Refugee Affairs may use only federal funds to perform the duties
  prescribed by this Act.
         (b)  If the governor by proclamation determines that a mass
  influx of unlawful aliens has created a state of humanitarian
  crisis, the governor may use the state's disaster contingency fund
  to, in coordination with the immigration and refugee coordinator
  for the office, provide assistance to state agencies, local
  governments, nonprofit organizations, and faith-based
  organizations to alleviate the costs associated with addressing the
  crisis.
         SECTION 6.  Section 752.021, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 752.021.  GOVERNOR'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON IMMIGRATION
  AND REFUGEES. The Governor's Advisory Committee on Immigration and
  Refugees is created within the office of the governor. The
  committee shall advise and make recommendations to the Office of
  Immigration and Refugee Affairs on immigration and refugee issues,
  including [the SLIAG program authorized by the Immigration Reform
  and Control Act of 1986 (8 U.S.C. Section 1101 et seq.) and the]
  refugee assistance programs [authorized by the Refugee Act of 1980
  (8 U.S.C. Section 1521 et seq.)].
         SECTION 7.  Sections 752.022(a) and (c), Government Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The committee is composed of 12 members appointed by the
  governor with the advice and consent of the senate as follows:
               (1)  two representatives of the refugee population;
               (2)  two representatives of the immigrant population;
               (3)  three representatives of local provider programs
  that serve immigrants or refugees and that receive federal funds,
  with one each from a public health program, a public assistance
  program, and an education program;
               (4)  one representative [three representatives] from a
  faith-based organization that assists local governments with
  matters related to immigrants and refugees;
               (5)  two representatives from voluntary resettlement
  agencies that receive state or federal funds;
               (6) [(5)]  one representative from a legal
  organization that is involved in issues relating to immigrants or
  refugees; and
               (7) [(6)]  one representative from a service
  organization that works with immigrants or refugees.
         (c)  The governor shall appoint a member of the committee to
  serve as the chair of the committee [for a one-year term].
         SECTION 8.  Subchapter B, Chapter 752, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 752.0231 to read as follows:
         Sec. 752.0231.  OTHER LAW. Section 2110.008 does not apply
  to the committee.
         SECTION 9.  Section 752.024, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 752.024.  FUNCTIONS OF COMMITTEE. The committee shall:
               (1)  advise and make recommendations to the Office of
  Immigration and Refugee Affairs regarding policy, planning, and
  priorities for matters related to immigrants and refugees [the
  SLIAG program and refugee assistance programs];
               (2)  advise and make recommendations to the Office of
  Immigration and Refugee Affairs regarding coordination of the
  efforts of all public agencies involved in health, human services,
  and education matters that relate to federal immigration and
  refugee laws and rules [or implementation of the SLIAG program or
  refugee assistance programs];
               (3)  encourage communication and cooperation among
  local agencies and programs, state agencies, immigration-related
  and refugee-related legal and service agencies, and the federal
  government;
               (4)  assist the Office of Immigration and Refugee
  Affairs in applying for the maximum amount of federal funds
  available for immigrant-related [SLIAG-related] programs and
  activities and refugee-related programs and activities and in
  identifying local programs and costs relating to immigration or
  refugees for which the state or a political subdivision may receive
  reimbursement;
               (5)  provide information to programs and activities
  that serve and encourage legalization and education of residents of
  this state;
               (6)  review issues related to immigrants and refugees
  [federal issues regarding the SLIAG program and refugee assistance
  programs] and make recommendations to the Office of Immigration and
  Refugee Affairs to encourage the development of a state response to
  those [federal] issues;
               (7)  [review and make recommendations to the Office of
  Immigration and Refugee Affairs and state agencies to ensure that
  the system of fiscal and program operations for the SLIAG program
  and refugee assistance programs is consistent with existing state
  and federal requirements;
               [(8)]  assist the Office of Immigration and Refugee
  Affairs in the development of an annual report on the status of
  matters related to immigrants and refugees [the SLIAG program and
  refugee assistance programs] in the state;
               (8) [(9)]  advise and make recommendations to the
  Office of Immigration and Refugee Affairs on other related matters
  as directed by the governor; and
               (9) [(10)]  assist the Office of Immigration and
  Refugee Affairs to better address issues related to immigrants and
  refugees confronting the state and local communities [in the
  development of a spending plan for fiscal years 1993 and 1994
  proposing spending priorities for SLIAG funds for services to
  eligible legalized aliens and for other federal funds available to
  benefit immigrants or refugees in the state].
         SECTION 10.  (a)  Not later than January 1, 2016, the
  governor shall appoint the members of the Governor's Advisory
  Committee on Immigration and Refugees as provided by Section
  752.022(a), Government Code, as amended by this Act. The committee
  is re-created on the date the governor makes the appointments as
  provided by this subsection.
         (b)  Notwithstanding Section 752.022(b), Government Code,
  the terms of the members of the advisory committee appointed as
  provided by Subsection (a) of this section expire February 1, 2017.
         SECTION 11.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
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