By: Menéndez S.B. No. 2223
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to establishing pilot program to offer assistance for
  older adults diagnosed with severe vision loss.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1. Sec. 117.080, Human Resources Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  The department shall ensure that all services provided
  under the independent living services program that the department
  operates under Title VII of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973
  (29 U.S.C. Section 796 et seq.) are directly provided by centers for
  independent living, except as provided by Subsection (b), and are
  not directly provided by the department.
         (b)  If an area of the state does not have a center for
  independent living, or no center for independent living in that
  area is able to provide certain necessary services under the
  independent living services program, the department shall seek to
  identify a center for independent living that is willing and able to
  contract with a nonprofit organization or other person to provide
  the independent living services in the area under the program.  If
  no center for independent living is willing and able to contract
  with another organization or other person, the department may
  directly contract with an organization or other person who is not a
  center for independent living to provide the independent living
  services in the area under the program.
         (c)  The department shall evaluate the independent living
  services provided by a center for independent living and shall
  provide necessary training or technical assistance to help the
  center for independent living expand its capacity to provide a full
  range of independent living services.
               (1)  In the department review, the department shall
  establish major cities who have the ability to offer day-time
  classes teaching independent living skills. These major
  cities may establish a pilot program to conduct these classes
  for older adults diagnosed with severe vision loss. 
         (d)  The department shall monitor the performance of each
  center for independent living in providing independent living
  services, including how the center for independent living monitors
  the performance of the organizations and other persons with whom it
  contracts to provide independent living services.
         (e)  The executive commissioner shall adopt rules to
  implement this section that include:
               (1)  an equitable and transparent methodology for
  allocating funds to centers for independent living under the
  independent living services program;
               (2)  requirements applicable to the department in
  contracting with centers for independent living to provide
  independent living services under the program;
               (3)  requirements applicable to centers for
  independent living in contracting with organizations and other
  persons to provide independent living services under the program;
               (4)  requirements applicable to the department in
  contracting with organizations or other persons who are not centers
  for independent living to provide independent living services under
  the program;
               (5)  a process for the department to monitor
  independent living services contracts;
               (6)  guidelines on the department's role in providing
  technical assistance and training to centers for independent living
  as necessary; and
               (7)  expectations for department employees to refer
  persons who contact the department seeking independent living
  services to centers for independent living.
         SECTION 2.  This act takes effect September 1, 2023.