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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to conducting an assessment of language accessibility with |
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respect to certain health and human services programs and 2-1-1 |
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services provided by the Texas Information and Referral Network. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services |
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Commission. |
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(2) "Executive commissioner" means the executive |
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commissioner of the commission. |
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(b) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this |
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Act, the commission shall employ a language access coordinator to |
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conduct an assessment of and identify gaps in non-English speakers' |
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access to the health and human services programs administered by |
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the commission and 2-1-1 services provided by the Texas Information |
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and Referral Network. |
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(c) Not later than the first anniversary of the date the |
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commission employs a language access coordinator under Subsection |
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(b) of this section, the coordinator shall conduct the assessment |
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described by that subsection and submit to the executive |
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commissioner a written report that: |
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(1) summarizes the findings of the assessment; and |
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(2) provides recommendations for increasing |
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non-English speakers' access to health and human services programs |
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and 2-1-1 services provided by the Texas Information and Referral |
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Network throughout this state. |
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SECTION 2. This Act expires June 1, 2027. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |