By: Rose (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini, et al.) H.B. No. 728
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 12, 2023;
  April 18, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Health &
  Human Services; May 11, 2023, reported favorably by the following
  vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 11, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
 
  COMMITTEE VOTE
 
 
         YeaNayAbsentPNV
         KolkhorstX
         PerryX
         BlancoX
         HallX
         HancockX
         HughesX
         LaMantiaX
         MilesX
         SparksX
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the statewide interagency aging services coordinating
  council.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subchapter M-2 to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER M-2. STATEWIDE INTERAGENCY AGING SERVICES COORDINATING
  COUNCIL
         Sec. 531.491.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Council" means the statewide interagency aging
  services coordinating council.
               (2)  "Strategic plan" means the statewide interagency
  aging services strategic plan required under Section 531.497(1).
         Sec. 531.492.  PURPOSE. The council is established to
  ensure a strategic statewide approach to interagency aging
  services.
         Sec. 531.493.  COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL. (a)  Subject to
  Subsection (b), the council is composed of at least one
  representative appointed by each of the following agencies and
  entities:
               (1)  the governor's office;
               (2)  the commission, including one representative of
  the commission's aging services coordination office;
               (3)  the Department of Family and Protective Services;
               (4)  the Department of State Health Services;
               (5)  the Department of Agriculture's office of rural
  health;
               (6)  the Texas Veterans Commission;
               (7)  the Texas Workforce Commission;
               (8)  the office of the attorney general;
               (9)  the Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging
  Studies at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San
  Antonio;
               (10)  the Texas Aging and Longevity Consortium at The
  University of Texas at Austin; and
               (11)  the Center for Community Health and Aging at
  Texas A&M University.
         (b)  The executive commissioner shall determine the number
  of representatives that each agency or entity may appoint to serve
  on the council.
         (c)  The council may authorize another state agency or entity
  that provides specific interagency aging services with the use of
  appropriated money to appoint a representative to the council.
         (d)  A council member serves at the pleasure of the
  appointing agency or entity.
         Sec. 531.494.  TERMS; VACANCY.  (a)  Council members serve
  six-year terms.
         (b)  A vacancy on the council shall be filled in the same
  manner as the original appointment.  A council member appointed to
  fill a vacancy on the council shall serve the remainder of the
  unexpired term.
         Sec. 531.495.  PRESIDING OFFICER. The representative of the
  commission's aging services coordination office appointed under
  Section 531.493(a) shall serve as the presiding officer.
         Sec. 531.496.  MEETINGS. The council shall meet at least
  once quarterly or more frequently at the call of the presiding
  officer.
         Sec. 531.497.  POWERS AND DUTIES. The council:
               (1)  shall, in accordance with Section 531.498:
                     (A)  develop a recurring five-year statewide
  interagency aging services strategic plan; and
                     (B)  submit the strategic plan to the executive
  commissioner and the administrative head of each agency subject to
  the strategic plan;
               (2)  shall develop and, not later than November 1 of
  each even-numbered year, submit to the legislature a biennial
  coordinated statewide interagency aging services expenditure
  proposal;
               (3)  shall annually publish an updated inventory of
  state-funded interagency aging programs and services that includes
  a description of how those programs and services further the
  purpose of the statewide interagency aging services strategic plan;
               (4)  may facilitate opportunities to increase
  collaboration for the effective expenditure of available federal
  and state money for interagency aging services in this state; and
               (5)  may establish subcommittees as necessary to carry
  out the council's duties under this subchapter.
         Sec. 531.498.  RECURRING FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN AND
  RELATED IMPLEMENTATION PLANS. (a) Not later than March 1 of the
  last state fiscal year in each five-year period covered by the most
  recent strategic plan, the council shall:
               (1)  develop a new strategic plan for the next five
  state fiscal years that begins with the following fiscal year; and
               (2)  submit the new strategic plan to the executive
  commissioner and the administrative head of each agency subject to
  the strategic plan.
         (b)  Not later than the 90th day after receiving the
  strategic plan, the executive commissioner and the administrative
  head of each agency that is subject to the plan shall develop and
  submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the
  legislature a plan for implementing the recommendations applicable
  to the agency under the strategic plan. An implementation plan must
  include a justification for any recommendation the commission or
  other agency declines to implement.
         Sec. 531.499.  APPLICATION OF SUNSET ACT. The council is
  subject to Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act). The council shall be
  reviewed during the period in which the commission is reviewed
  under Section 531.004. Unless continued in existence as provided by
  Chapter 325, the council is abolished and this subchapter expires
  on the date on which the commission is subject to abolishment under
  that section.
         SECTION 2.  (a)  Not later than January 31, 2024, the
  appropriate appointing agencies or entities shall appoint the
  members of the statewide interagency aging services coordinating
  council as required by Section 531.493, Government Code, as added
  by this Act.
         (b)  Not later than March 31, 2024, the statewide interagency
  aging services coordinating council established under Subchapter
  M-2, Chapter 531, Government Code, as added by this Act, shall hold
  its initial meeting.
         (c)  Not later than March 1, 2025, the statewide interagency
  aging services coordinating council shall submit the initial
  five-year statewide interagency aging services strategic plan
  required under Section 531.497, Government Code, as added by this
  Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
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