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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to grants to establish or expand community collaboratives |
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for services to persons experiencing homelessness or mental illness |
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and county government planning for community collaboratives. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 539.002, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 539.002. GRANTS FOR ESTABLISHMENT AND EXPANSION OF |
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COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVES. (a) To the extent funds are |
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appropriated to the department for that purpose, the department |
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shall make grants to entities, including local governmental |
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entities, nonprofit community organizations, and faith-based |
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community organizations, to establish or expand community |
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collaboratives that bring the public and private sectors together |
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to provide services to persons experiencing homelessness and mental |
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illness. [The department may make a maximum of five grants, which
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must be made in the most populous municipalities in this state that
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are located in counties with a population of more than one million.] |
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In awarding grants, the department shall: |
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(1) give special consideration to entities |
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establishing a new collaborative[.]; |
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(2) to collaboratives that serve multiple continues |
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counties with individual populations below 50,000. |
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(b) The department shall require each entity awarded a grant |
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under this section to: |
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(1) leverage additional funding from private sources |
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in an amount that is at least equal to the amount of the grant |
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awarded under this section; [and] |
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(2) provide evidence of significant coordination and |
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collaboration between the entity, local mental health authorities, |
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municipalities, local law enforcement agencies, and other |
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community stakeholders in establishing or expanding a community |
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collaborative funded by a grant awarded under this section; and |
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(3) provide evidence of a local law enforcement policy |
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to divert appropriate persons from jails or other detention |
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facilities to an entity affiliated with a community collaborative |
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for services. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 539, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 539.0051 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 539.0051. PLAN REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN COMMUNITY |
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COLLABORATIVES. (a) The governing body of a county shall develop |
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and make public a plan detailing: |
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(1) how local mental health authorities, |
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municipalities, local law enforcement agencies, and other |
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community stakeholders in the county could coordinate to establish |
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or expand a community collaborative to accomplish the goals of |
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Section 539.002; |
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(2) how entities in the county may leverage funding |
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from private sources to accomplish the goals of Section 539.002 |
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through the formation or expansion of a community collaborative; |
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and |
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(3) how the formation or expansion of a community |
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collaborative could establish or support resources or services to |
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help local law enforcement agencies to divert persons who have been |
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arrested to appropriate mental health care. |
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(b) The governing body of a county in which an entity that |
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received a grant under Section 539.002 before September 1, 2017, is |
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located is not required to develop a plan under Subsection (a); |
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(c) Counties with a population under 50,000 may work with |
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multiple other counties that touch them that also have a population |
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under 50,000 to form a joint plan. |
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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, 2017. |