BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2564

By: White

Urban Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There are concerns that homeless youth are not adequately considered in the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs low income housing plan, and policymakers therefore lack the guidance needed to prevent this vulnerable youth population from remaining homeless into adulthood. C.S.H.B. 2564 seeks to address these concerns by including homeless youth and young adults among the populations in the low income housing plan.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2564 amends the Government Code to require the low income housing plan prepared and submitted by the executive director of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs to include an estimate and analysis of the size and the different housing needs of homeless youth and other individuals older than 18 years of age and younger than 25 years of age who are homeless in each uniform state service region. The bill specifies that the Texas Interagency Council for the Homeless and each of its represented agencies, in accomplishing the council's duties, may seek program or policy assistance from any organization in Texas that has a network of providers with expertise in assisting homeless youth, including the Texas Homeless Network.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 2564 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute changes the age range of the homeless individuals regarding whom the plan must include the applicable estimate and analysis from individuals older than 19 years of age and younger than 26 years of age to individuals older than 18 years of age and younger than 25 years of age.