82R4773 AJZ-F
By: West S.B. No. 501
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of an interagency council for
addressing disproportionality.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Title 1, Human Resources Code, is amended by
adding Chapter 2 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 2. INTERAGENCY COUNCIL FOR ADDRESSING DISPROPORTIONALITY
Sec. 2.001. INTERAGENCY COUNCIL FOR ADDRESSING
DISPROPORTIONALITY. The Interagency Council for Addressing
Disproportionality is established to:
(1) examine the level of disproportionate involvement
of children who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group at
each stage in the juvenile justice, child welfare, education, and
mental health systems, including:
(A) the points of entry;
(B) each point at which a treatment decision is
made; and
(C) the outcomes for the children exiting the
systems; and
(2) make recommendations to reduce the involvement of
the children in the systems.
Sec. 2.002. COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL; MEETINGS. (a) The
council consists of:
(1) one representative from each of the following
agencies appointed by the executive director or commissioner of
each agency:
(A) the Texas Education Agency;
(B) the Center for Elimination of
Disproportionality and Disparities within the Health and Human
Services Commission;
(C) the Department of Assistive and
Rehabilitative Services;
(D) the Department of Aging and Disability
Services;
(E) the Department of State Health Services;
(F) the Department of Family and Protective
Services;
(G) the Texas Youth Commission; and
(H) the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission; and
(2) one representative of the office of the attorney
general appointed by the attorney general.
(b) A representative of an agency appointed to the council
must have an overall understanding of the agency's mission and
purpose and substantial experience and expertise relating to the
administration of the agency's policies, programs, and activities.
(c) The representative from the Center for Elimination of
Disproportionality and Disparities within the Health and Human
Services Commission serves as the presiding officer of the council.
(d) The council shall meet at least quarterly.
Sec. 2.003. COUNCIL DUTIES. The council's duties include:
(1) reviewing the delivery of public and private child
welfare, juvenile justice, mental health, and education services to
evaluate the disproportionate rates of use of the services by
children who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group;
(2) reviewing federal, state, and local funds
appropriated to address the disproportionate use of children's
services by children who are members of a racial or ethnic minority
group;
(3) reviewing current best practice standards
addressing the disproportionate use of children's services by
children who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group;
(4) examining the qualifications and training of
children's service providers and making recommendations for
training curriculum and other necessary changes;
(5) recommending methods to improve use of available
public and private funds to address the disproportionate use of
children's services by children who are members of a racial or
ethnic minority group;
(6) providing information concerning identified unmet
children's service needs and providing recommendations concerning
the development of resources to meet the identified needs;
(7) examining outcomes for children who are members of
a racial or ethnic minority group who have exited or will exit the
public and private child welfare, juvenile justice, mental health,
and education systems;
(8) recommending administrative and legislative
actions related to appropriate programs and services to reduce and
eliminate disparities in the systems and improve the long-term
outcomes for children who are members of a racial or ethnic minority
group who are served by the systems; and
(9) preparing a report consisting of the council's
findings and recommendations, and the presentation of an
implementation plan to address disproportionate representation of
children who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group in the
use of children's services.
Sec. 2.004. COUNCIL REPORT. Not later than December 1,
2012, the council shall prepare and submit to the lieutenant
governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the
legislature a report containing the council's findings and
recommendations for addressing the disproportionate representation
of children who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group in
the use of children's services and the council's recommendation as
to whether to continue the council.
Sec. 2.005. EXPIRATION OF CHAPTER. This chapter expires
December 1, 2013.
SECTION 2. 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, 2011.