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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study of an intake system and state case management |
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system for state and federal disaster assistance. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services |
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Commission. |
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(2) "Division" means the Texas Division of Emergency |
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Management. |
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(b) The commission and the division shall conduct a study to |
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determine the feasibility of developing: |
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(1) a single intake form that would compile all |
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information needed to obtain disaster assistance from multiple |
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state and federal programs for an individual who needs assistance |
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as a result of a disaster; |
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(2) an automated intake system for collecting the |
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information; and |
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(3) a state case management system for disaster |
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assistance, administered by the commission, that is similar to the |
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Federal Emergency Management Agency case management system and |
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includes contracting with nonprofit vendors to hire caseworkers and |
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provide case management services. |
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(c) The commission and the division shall coordinate with |
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the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other appropriate state |
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and federal agencies to conduct the study under Subsection (b) of |
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this section. The commission and the division must determine: |
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(1) whether the Federal Emergency Management Agency |
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and other appropriate state and federal agencies will accept the |
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single intake form; |
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(2) the cost of developing the single intake form and |
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the cost of developing and maintaining the automated intake system; |
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and |
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(3) the cost of developing and maintaining a state |
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case management system and the extent to which federal |
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reimbursement is available. |
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(d) Not later than September 1, 2020, the commission and the |
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division shall prepare and submit a written report to the |
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legislature containing the findings of the study conducted under |
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Subsection (b) of this section and any recommendations to the |
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legislature. |
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(e) The commission and the division may implement the single |
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intake form, automated intake system, and state case management |
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system if the commission and the division determine, based on the |
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study conducted under Subsection (b) of this section, that doing so |
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will result in no additional cost to the state. |
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SECTION 2. This Act expires January 1, 2021. |
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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, 2019. |