By: Schwertner S.B. No. 2214
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to state fiscal matters related to health and human
  services and state agencies administering health and human services
  programs.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.01.  This article applies to any state agency that
  receives an appropriation under Article II of the General
  Appropriations Act and to any program administered by any of those
  agencies.
         SECTION 1.02.  Notwithstanding any other statute of this
  state, each state agency to which this article applies is
  authorized to reduce or recover expenditures by:
               (1)  consolidating any reports or publications the
  agency is required to make and filing or delivering any of those
  reports or publications exclusively by electronic means;
               (2)  extending the effective period of any license,
  permit, or registration the agency grants or administers;
               (3)  entering into a contract with another governmental
  entity or with a private vendor to carry out any of the agency's
  duties;
               (4)  adopting additional eligibility requirements
  consistent with federal law for persons who receive benefits under
  any law the agency administers to ensure that those benefits are
  received by the most deserving persons consistent with the purposes
  for which the benefits are provided, including under the following
  laws:
                     (A)  Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code (child
  health plan program);
                     (B)  Chapter 31, Human Resources Code (temporary
  assistance for needy families program);
                     (C)  Chapter 32, Human Resources Code (Medicaid
  program);
                     (D)  Chapter 33, Human Resources Code
  (supplemental nutrition assistance and other nutritional
  assistance programs); and
                     (E)  Chapter 533, Government Code (Medicaid
  managed care);
               (5)  providing that any communication between the
  agency and another person and any document required to be delivered
  to or by the agency, including any application, notice, billing
  statement, receipt, or certificate, may be made or delivered by
  e-mail or through the Internet;
               (6)  adopting and collecting fees or charges to cover
  any costs the agency incurs in performing its lawful functions; and
               (7)  modifying and streamlining processes used in:
                     (A)  the conduct of eligibility determinations
  for programs listed in Subdivision (4) of this subsection by or
  under the direction of the Health and Human Services Commission;
                     (B)  the provision of child and adult protective
  services by the Department of Family and Protective Services;
                     (C)  the provision of services for the aging and
  disabled by the Health and Human Services Commission;
                     (D)  the provision of services to children and
  other persons with disabilities by the Health and Human Services
  Commission; and
                     (E)  the provision or administration of other
  services provided or programs operated by the Health and Human
  Services Commission or a health and human services agency, as
  defined by Section 531.001, Government Code.
  ARTICLE 2. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES EMPLOYEES
         SECTION 2.01.  An health and human services employee is not
  entitled to an amount from the state for expenses, per diem, travel,
  or salary that exceeds the amount authorized for those purposes by
  the General Appropriations Act.
         SECTION 2.02.  An health and human services employee is not
  entitled to an amount from the state for a salary, a salary
  supplement, office expenses or reimbursement of office expenses, or
  travel that exceeds the amount authorized for those purposes by the
  General Appropriations Act.
  ARTICLE 3. REDUCTION OF EXPENDITURES AND IMPOSITION OF CHARGES AND
  COST-SAVING MEASURES SPECIFICALLY
         Sec. 265.0042.  COLLABORATION WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
  EDUCATION. (a) Subject to the availability of funds, the Health and
  Human Services Commission, on behalf of the department, shall enter
  into agreements with institutions of higher education to conduct
  efficacy reviews of any prevention and early intervention programs
  that have not previously been evaluated for effectiveness through a
  scientific research evaluation process.
         (b)  Subject to the availability of funds, the department
  shall collaborate with an institution of higher education to create
  and track indicators of child well-being to determine the
  effectiveness of prevention and early intervention services.
         SECTION 3.03.  If before implementing any provision of this
  article a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization
  from a federal agency is necessary for implementation of that
  provision, the agency affected by the provision shall request the
  waiver or authorization and may delay implementing that provision
  until the waiver or authorization is granted.
  Article 4. PILOT PROGRAM PROPOSALS AND RULES
         SECTION 4.01.  The commissioner of each state agency to
  which this article applies may propose to the appropriate
  legislative committee pilot programs that could be tested to
  determine if the programs might produce long term fiscal benefits
  to the state. The commissioner may propose rules necessary to
  implement the pilot programs.
  Article 5. EFFECTIVE DATE
         SECTION 5.01.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.