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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to improvements to the Texas Information and Referral |
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Network. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 526.0004, Government Code, as effective |
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April 1, 2025, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding |
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Subsections (f), (g), and (h) to read as follows: |
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(a) The Texas Information and Referral Network is |
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responsible for developing, coordinating, and implementing a |
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statewide information and referral network that integrates |
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existing community-based structures with state and local agencies. |
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The network must: |
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(1) include information relating to transportation |
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services provided to clients of state and local agencies; |
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(2) be capable of assisting with statewide disaster |
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preparedness, response, and emergency management, including |
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through the use of memoranda of understanding with state and local |
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agencies and interstate agreements with out-of-state call centers |
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to ensure preparedness and responsiveness; |
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(3) include technology capable of communicating with |
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clients of state and local agencies using one-way and two-way |
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electronic text messaging to: |
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(A) enhance client access to information and |
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referral services; |
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(B) decrease client wait times; |
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(C) improve customer service; and |
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(D) disseminate information to clients in a |
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timely manner, including during a state of disaster; [and] |
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(4) include a publicly accessible Internet-based |
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system to provide real-time, searchable data about [the location |
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and number of] clients of state and local agencies using the system, |
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including: |
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(A) the number of clients; |
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(B) the location of clients; |
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(C) [and] the types of requests the clients made; |
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and |
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(D) aggregated, de-identified demographic |
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information regarding the clients and client households served by |
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the network, including, if the information is volunteered by the |
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clients after the clients have been given an opportunity to provide |
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informed and explicit consent: |
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(i) the gender, race, and ethnicity of each |
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client; and |
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(ii) whether the client or a member of the |
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client's household is: |
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(a) a veteran; |
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(b) involved in the criminal justice |
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system; |
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(c) pregnant; |
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(d) the caregiver to a child who is |
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five years of age or younger; |
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(e) a kinship caregiver providing |
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care to a child and whether the child is in the custody of the |
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Department of Family and Protective Services; |
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(f) enrolled in an institution of |
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higher education, as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code; |
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(g) 65 years of age or older; or |
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(h) a caregiver providing care to an |
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individual who is 65 years of age or older; |
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(5) use a standardized screening tool to identify the |
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nonmedical drivers of health for all clients who provide informed |
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and explicit consent to be screened using the screening tool; |
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(6) provide enhanced navigation services under a level |
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of care three (LOC-3) as prescribed by the commission's Texas |
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Resilience and Recovery Utilization Management Guidelines in order |
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to: |
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(A) better address complex client needs; and |
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(B) collaborate with community partners; |
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(7) be capable of providing closed-loop referrals to |
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support clients and track referral outcomes; |
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(8) exchange resource data with external partners, |
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including vendors, through data sharing agreements for the purposes |
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of: |
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(A) connecting clients to a requested service; |
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(B) addressing nonmedical drivers of health; and |
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(C) decreasing redundancies in the health and |
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human services system; |
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(9) comply with all applicable state and federal laws |
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relating to protecting the privacy of each client's health and |
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personal information, including the Health Insurance Portability |
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and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. Section 1320d et seq.); |
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(10) include call centers that operate 24 hours a day, |
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seven days a week; and |
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(11) be capable of providing backup information and |
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referrals during a statewide disaster or system malfunction. |
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(f) To enhance the network's capacity and responsiveness in |
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disaster preparation, response, and recovery, the commission shall |
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coordinate with the Homeland Security Council and the Texas |
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Division of Emergency Management to integrate the network into this |
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state's homeland security strategic plan and the state emergency |
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management plan. |
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(g) Health care systems and managed care organizations may |
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partner and enter into agreements with the commission and area |
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information centers to share data using the network to: |
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(1) facilitate client care coordination; and |
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(2) address nonmedical drivers of health, including |
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housing, transportation, food, and financial assistance programs. |
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(h) Not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year, |
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the commission shall: |
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(1) prepare and submit a report to the governor, the |
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lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of |
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representatives that: |
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(A) summarizes the network's operations, |
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including the effectiveness of the network and any improvements |
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made to the network, during the preceding two state fiscal years; |
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(B) identifies existing needs and gaps in |
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services in communities in this state that could be addressed |
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through additional improvements to the network; |
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(C) provides recommendations for improving the |
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network, including recommendations for improving data privacy and |
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client experience; and |
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(D) describes the commission's efforts under |
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this section to collaborate and coordinate with other state and |
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local agencies and entities, including the commission's efforts to: |
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(i) integrate the network into relevant |
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plans and programs administered by state and local agencies; and |
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(ii) exchange resource data with relevant |
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entities; and |
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(2) make the report publicly available on: |
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(A) the commission's Internet website; and |
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(B) the network Internet website established |
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under Section 526.0005. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 526, Government Code, as |
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effective April 1, 2025, is amended by adding Section 526.00041 to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 526.00041. AREA INFORMATION CENTERS: ACCREDITATION |
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REQUIRED. An area information center that contracts with the |
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commission to provide network operations must be accredited by a |
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nationally recognized accreditation organization. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 526.0005(a) and (b), Government Code, |
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as effective April 1, 2025, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The network may develop an Internet website to provide |
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information to the public regarding the health and human services |
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provided by public or private entities throughout this state. An |
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Internet website developed under this section must be user-friendly |
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and regularly updated to ensure that the website's interface |
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supports the navigation needs of the website's users. |
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(b) The material on the network Internet website must be: |
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(1) geographically indexed, including by type of |
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service provided within each geographic area; [and] |
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(2) designed to inform an individual about the health |
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and human services provided in the area in which the individual |
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lives; and |
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(3) organized in such a way that the public can search |
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and navigate through the website with ease. |
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SECTION 4. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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waiver or authorization is granted. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |