BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 4571

By: Rose

Human Services

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Persons with an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD) may have problems with major life activities, thus requiring these individuals to be fully dependent on other adults for basic care. More than 50 years ago, the legislature created the structure now known as the local intellectual and developmental disability authority. Subsequently, community centers were created to provide community-based services and address the needs of persons returning to their communities from state-supported living centers. While the state provides services for persons living with an IDD, a coordinated body responsible for sharing new research, resources, and best practices in regards to quality of care is needed at the state level. C.S.H.B. 4571 establishes a council to ensure a strategic statewide approach to IDD services.

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. 4571 amends the Government Code to establish the statewide intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) coordinating council to ensure a strategic statewide approach to IDD services. The bill sets out a list of state entities that each designate one or more representatives to serve on the council and also provides for the appointment of certain members by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), who is required to do the following:

· determine the number of representatives that each applicable state entity may designate to serve on the council; and

· designate a member of the council to serve as the presiding officer.

The bill sets out additional provisions relating to the administration and operation of the council.

C.S.H.B. 4571 requires the council to do the following:

· develop and monitor the implementation of a five-year statewide IDD strategic plan;

· develop a biennial coordinated statewide IDD expenditure proposal; and

· annually publish an updated inventory of state-funded IDD programs and services that includes a description of how those programs and services further the purpose of the strategic plan and an estimate of the number of individuals waiting for or interested in receiving those programs and services.

The bill authorizes the council to facilitate opportunities to increase collaboration for the effective expenditure of available federal and state funds for IDD services in Texas.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2021.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 4571 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 makes certain clarifying changes to the council's composition and includes representatives of the following state entities as members not included in the original:

· the Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University;

· the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; and

· the Texas Commission on Jail Standards.

The substitute includes the following requirements that were not in the original:

· a requirement for the executive commissioner of HHSC to designate a member of the council to serve as the presiding officer; and

· a requirement for the annually published inventory of state-funded IDD programs and services to include an estimate of the number of individuals waiting for or interested in receiving those programs and services.