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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the Cross-Agency Employment |
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Resource Initiative to coordinate and optimize certain employment |
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services and resources in this state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle G, Title 10, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 2308B to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 2308B. CROSS-AGENCY EMPLOYMENT RESOURCE INITIATIVE |
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Sec. 2308B.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Client" means an individual who: |
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(A) receives services from the workforce |
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commission; |
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(B) is a recipient of financial assistance under |
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Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, or supplemental nutrition |
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assistance under Chapter 33, Human Resources Code; or |
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(C) receives reentry and reintegration services |
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from the department. |
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(2) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services |
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Commission. |
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(3) "Department" means the Texas Department of |
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Criminal Justice. |
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(4) "Initiative" means the Cross-Agency Employment |
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Resource Initiative. |
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(5) "Workforce commission" means the Texas Workforce |
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Commission. |
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Sec. 2308B.002. PURPOSE. The Cross-Agency Employment |
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Resource Initiative is established to coordinate and optimize |
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services, information, and other resources as necessary to: |
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(1) align services provided to clients of programs |
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administered by the workforce commission who also use programs |
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administered by the commission or the department, or both; |
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(2) provide those clients with timely and accurate |
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information necessary to meet program requirements; |
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(3) enable the agencies to maximize and leverage |
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resources, including client data and agency office space, to |
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effectively and efficiently serve clients using multiple programs |
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across the agencies; and |
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(4) share individual agency goals and performance |
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measures, specifically those attributed to gainful employment, |
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employment retention, recidivism, and other workforce development |
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goals, and enable state and local policy makers to collaboratively |
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implement or modify policy and regulations to effect those goals. |
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Sec. 2308B.003. INTERAGENCY AGREEMENTS. The commission, |
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department, and workforce commission shall enter into one or more |
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interagency agreements establishing policies and processes for: |
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(1) sharing relevant client data and agency |
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information; and |
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(2) sharing agency office space and other resources as |
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necessary to effectuate the purposes of the initiative. |
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Sec. 2308B.004. QUARTERLY DISCUSSIONS. The executive |
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commissioner of the commission, the chair of the Texas Board of |
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Criminal Justice, and the chair of the workforce commission shall |
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discuss the work of the initiative at least once per quarter. |
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Sec. 2308B.005. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. (a) The |
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commission, department, and workforce commission may accept gifts, |
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grants, and donations from any public or private source for |
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purposes of the initiative. |
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(b) The commission, department, and workforce commission |
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shall investigate potential sources of funding from federal grants |
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or programs that may be used for purposes of the initiative. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than October 1, 2025, the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission, the chair |
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of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, and the chair of the Texas |
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Workforce Commission shall hold the initial discussion required |
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under Section 2308B.004, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |