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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the operations of the Employment-First Task Force. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 531.02448(b), (f), (g), and (j), |
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Government Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(b) If the executive commissioner establishes a task force |
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for the purposes described by Subsection (a), the executive |
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commissioner shall determine the number of members on the task |
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force. The executive commissioner shall appoint at least the |
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following as members, subject to Subsection (e): |
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(1) an individual with a disability; |
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(2) a family member of an individual with a |
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disability; |
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(3) three representatives [a representative] of the |
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commission, one of whom represents the commission's behavioral |
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health services functions and one of whom represents the |
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commission's aging and disability services functions; |
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(4) [a representative of the Department of Assistive
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and Rehabilitative Services;
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[(5)
a representative of the Department of State
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Health Services;
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[(6)
a representative of the Department of Aging and
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Disability Services;
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[(7)] a representative of the Department of Family and |
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Protective Services; |
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(5) two representatives [(8) a representative] of |
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the Texas Workforce Commission, one of whom represents the Texas |
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Workforce Commission's assistive and rehabilitative services |
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functions; |
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(6) [(9)] a representative of the Texas Education |
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Agency; |
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(7) [(10)] an advocate for individuals with |
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disabilities; |
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(8) [(11)] a representative of a provider of |
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integrated and competitive employment services; and |
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(9) [(12)] an employer or a representative of an |
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employer in an industry in which individuals with disabilities |
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might be employed. |
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(f) A task force established under this section or an |
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existing committee or task force used for purposes of this section |
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shall: |
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(1) design an education and outreach process targeted |
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at working-age individuals with disabilities, including young |
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adults with disabilities, the families of those individuals, the |
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state agencies listed in Subsection (b), and service providers, |
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that is aimed at raising expectations of the success of individuals |
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with disabilities in integrated, individualized, and competitive |
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employment; |
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(2) develop recommendations for policy, procedure, |
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and rules changes that are necessary to allow the employment-first |
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policy described under Section 531.02447(b) to be fully implemented |
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and to provide guidance and assistance to a state agency in |
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implementing those changes; |
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(2-a) meet at least quarterly and at other times at the |
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call of the presiding officer; and |
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(3) not later than September 1 of each even-numbered |
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year, prepare and submit to the office of the governor, the |
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legislature, and the executive commissioner a report regarding the |
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task force's findings and recommendations, including: |
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(A) information that reflects the potential and |
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actual impact of the employment-first policy on the employment |
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outcomes for individuals with disabilities; and |
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(B) recommendations for improvement of |
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employment services and outcomes, including employment rates, for |
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individuals with disabilities based on the reported impact of an |
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employment-first policy under Paragraph (A) that may include: |
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(i) recommendations relating to using any |
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savings to the state resulting from the implementation of the |
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employment-first policy to further improve the services and |
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outcomes; and |
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(ii) recommendations developed under |
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Subdivision (2) regarding necessary policy, procedure, and rules |
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changes. |
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(g) A member of a task force established under this section |
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is not entitled to compensation. Members may be reimbursed for |
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expenses as follows: |
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(1) a member described by Subsection (b)(1) or (2) is |
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entitled to reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses |
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as provided in the General Appropriations Act; |
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(2) a member appointed as a representative of a state |
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agency is eligible for reimbursement for travel and other necessary |
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expenses according to the applicable agency's policies; and |
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(3) a member described by Subsection (b)(7) [(b)(10)], |
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(8) [(11)], or (9) [(12)] is entitled to reimbursement for travel |
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and other necessary expenses to be paid equally out of available |
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money appropriated to the commission and to health and human |
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services agencies. |
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(j) A task force established under this section is abolished |
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and this [This] section expires September 1, 2021 [2017]. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect August 31, 2017. |
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* * * * * |