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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment by the Texas Department of Housing |
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and Community Affairs of a pilot program to solicit donations made |
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by text message for the benefit of local programs that provide |
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services to homeless individuals and families in certain |
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municipalities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter K, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 2306.2582 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2306.2582. HOMELESS "TEXT-TO-DONATE" PILOT PROGRAM. |
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(a) The department may implement and administer a pilot program to |
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solicit donations made by text message for the benefit of local |
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programs that provide services to homeless individuals and families |
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in municipalities with a population of 285,000 or more. If |
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implemented, the program shall: |
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(1) facilitate the process by which a person may use |
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text messaging to make a private donation to help homeless |
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individuals and families; |
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(2) encourage private donations to be made for the |
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benefit of local programs that prevent and eliminate homelessness; |
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and |
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(3) fund local programs that provide emergency housing |
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and transportation to homeless individuals and families. |
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(b) The department may adopt rules to govern the |
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implementation and administration of the program, including rules |
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that: |
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(1) provide for the designation of a |
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telecommunications carrier and text messaging service used for the |
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program; |
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(2) facilitate the acquisition of a statewide phone |
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number and donation code; |
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(3) provide the ability for an individual to make a |
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donation by text message in an amount chosen by the individual, to |
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charge the donation to the individual's phone bill or credit card, |
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and to select the municipality that will benefit from the donation; |
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(4) protect the confidentiality of donor information; |
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(5) establish a fund in the department to receive and |
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disburse money under the program; |
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(6) facilitate the coordination with municipalities |
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for the disbursement of money received under the program; |
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(7) establish qualifications for local organizations |
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to request and receive donations made through the program; and |
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(8) facilitate the promotion of the program to the |
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general public including the placement of signage in areas of a |
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municipality that may be impacted by large populations of homeless |
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persons. |
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(c) Of the money donated under the program, the department |
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shall allocate: |
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(1) not less than 65 percent for costs associated with |
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housing homeless individuals and families; |
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(2) not less than 20 percent for transportation costs; |
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(3) not less than five percent for the promotion of the |
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program; and |
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(4) not more than 10 percent for overhead and |
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administrative costs. |
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(d) The department may assign personnel to coordinate the |
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administration and implementation of the program. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |