By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 455

(Minjarez)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the operations of the Employment-First Task Force.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Sections 531.02448(b), (f), (g), and (j), Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

(b) If the executive commissioner establishes a task force for the purposes described by Subsection (a), the executive commissioner shall determine the number of members on the task force. The executive commissioner shall appoint at least the following as members, subject to Subsection (e):

(1) an individual with a disability;

(2) a family member of an individual with a disability;

(3) three representatives [a representative] of the commission, one of whom represents the commission's behavioral health services functions and one of whom represents the commission's aging and disability services functions;

(4) [a representative of the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services;

[(5) a representative of the Department of State Health Services;

[(6) a representative of the Department of Aging and Disability Services;

[(7)] a representative of the Department of Family and Protective Services;

(5) two representatives [(8) a representative] of the Texas Workforce Commission, one of whom represents the Texas Workforce Commission's assistive and rehabilitative services functions;

(6) [(9)] a representative of the Texas Education Agency;

(7) [(10)] an advocate for individuals with disabilities;

(8) [(11)] a representative of a provider of integrated and competitive employment services; and

(9) [(12)] an employer or a representative of an employer in an industry in which individuals with disabilities might be employed.

(f) A task force established under this section or an existing committee or task force used for purposes of this section shall:

(1) design an education and outreach process targeted at working-age individuals with disabilities, including young adults with disabilities, the families of those individuals, the state agencies listed in Subsection (b), and service providers, that is aimed at raising expectations of the success of individuals with disabilities in integrated, individualized, and competitive employment;

(2) develop recommendations for policy, procedure, and rules changes that are necessary to allow the employment-first policy described under Section 531.02447(b) to be fully implemented and to provide guidance and assistance to a state agency in implementing those changes;

(2-a) meet at least quarterly and at other times at the call of the presiding officer; and

(3) not later than September 1 of each even-numbered year, prepare and submit to the office of the governor, the legislature, and the executive commissioner a report regarding the task force's findings and recommendations, including:

(A) information that reflects the potential and actual impact of the employment-first policy on the employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities; and

(B) recommendations for improvement of employment services and outcomes, including employment rates, for individuals with disabilities based on the reported impact of an employment-first policy under Paragraph (A) that may include:

(i) recommendations relating to using any savings to the state resulting from the implementation of the employment-first policy to further improve the services and outcomes; and

(ii) recommendations developed under Subdivision (2) regarding necessary policy, procedure, and rules changes.

(g) A member of a task force established under this section is not entitled to compensation. Members may be reimbursed for expenses as follows:

(1) a member described by Subsection (b)(1) or (2) is entitled to reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses as provided in the General Appropriations Act;

(2) a member appointed as a representative of a state agency is eligible for reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses according to the applicable agency's policies; and

(3) a member described by Subsection (b)(7) [(b)(10)], (8) [(11)], or (9) [(12)] is entitled to reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses to be paid equally out of available money appropriated to the commission and to health and human services agencies.

(j) A task force established under this section is abolished and this [This] section expires September 1, 2021 [2017].

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect August 31, 2017.