83R10314 JSL-D
By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1226
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of an employment-first policy and
task force that promote opportunities for individuals with
disabilities to earn a living wage with competitive employment.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 117, Human Resources Code,
is amended by adding Section 117.075 to read as follows:
Sec. 117.075. EMPLOYMENT-FIRST POLICY AND TASK FORCE. (a)
The department shall adopt and implement an employment-first policy
stating that earning a living wage with competitive employment in
the general workforce is the first and preferred outcome of all
publicly funded services provided to working-age individuals with
disabilities. The policy must contain provisions that ensure:
(1) that individuals, particularly secondary and
postsecondary students, with disabilities understand the
importance of, and are given the opportunity to explore options
for, further training, including graduate and postgraduate
training, as a pathway to employment;
(2) the availability and accessibility of
individualized training and support in an individual's preferred
employment;
(3) the availability and accessibility of resources
necessary to enable an individual to understand the effect of
earned income on the individual's public benefits; and
(4) that competitive employment, while being the first
and preferred outcome, is not the only method of securing and
maintaining necessary health care and support for individuals with
disabilities.
(b) The department, in consultation with the executive
commissioner, shall establish an interagency employment-first task
force that will work to ensure that individuals with disabilities
are able to obtain competitive employment and are held to the same
employment standards, responsibilities, and expectations as any
other working-age adult. The department shall appoint as many
members to the task force as the department considers necessary to
complete the task force's purposes.
(c) The task force shall:
(1) design an education and outreach process targeted
at individuals with disabilities, families, agencies, and service
provider staff that is aimed at raising expectations of the success
of individuals with disabilities in integrated, individualized,
and competitive employment;
(2) develop recommendations for policy and procedure
changes that are necessary to allow the employment-first policy
described under Subsection (a) to be fully implemented; and
(3) produce a report to be provided to the department
and the executive commissioner that estimates the reduction in
publicly funded services that can be accomplished by implementation
of the employment-first policy described under Subsection (a).
SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2014, the Department
of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services shall adopt and implement
the employment-first policy and appoint the employment-first task
force described under Section 117.075, Human Resources Code, as
added by this Act.
SECTION 3. 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, 2013.