Texas 2013 - 83rd Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1758 Compare Versions

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Old	New	Differences
1	1	83R27887 MCK-D
2	2	By: Uresti S.B. No. 1758
3	3	(Zerwas)
4	4	Substitute the following for S.B. No. 1758: No.
5	5
6	6
7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the establishment of a task force to examine hiring and
10	10	management practices of the Department of Family and Protective
11	11	Services.
12	12	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	13	SECTION 1. Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by
14	14	adding Subchapter X to read as follows:
15	15	SUBCHAPTER X. TASK FORCE TO EXAMINE CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES
16	16	HIRING AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
17	17	Sec. 531.971. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
18	18	(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services
19	19	Commission.
20	20	(2) "Department" means the Department of Family and
21	21	Protective Services.
22	22	(3) "Division" means the child protective services
23	23	division of the Department of Family and Protective Services.
24	24	(4) "Task force" means the Task Force to Examine
25	25	Hiring and Management Practices to Improve Hiring and Retention of
26	26	Child Protective Services Caseworkers and Improve Child Welfare.
27	27	Sec. 531.972. ESTABLISHMENT OF TASK FORCE; COMPOSITION.
28	28	(a) The task force is established to examine hiring and management
29	29	practices, to develop policy recommendations, if needed, and to
30	30	design a comprehensive performance-based compensation and
31	31	recognition system with the goal of increasing retention and
32	32	reducing turnover of division caseworkers.
33	33	(b) The task force is composed of:
34	34	(1) the following members appointed jointly by the
35	35	chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and the
36	36	chair of the House Human Services Committee:
37	37	(A) one member from the department
38	38	administration;
39	39	(B) one former division caseworker;
40	40	(C) three members from the department, each of
41	41	whom is at a different stage of service in the division as follows:
42	42	(i) one current division caseworker;
43	43	(ii) one current division supervisor; and
44	44	(iii) one current division program
45	45	director;
46	46	(D) two chief executive officers of corporations
47	47	that use performance-based compensation in their organization;
48	48	(E) one consultant for a nonprofit organization
49	49	that specializes in human resources and recruitment and retention
50	50	initiatives;
51	51	(F) two human resources directors for for-profit
52	52	entities who are familiar with performance-based compensation and
53	53	the recruitment and retention of employees; and
54	54	(G) one member from a statewide advocacy
55	55	organization that advocates in the field of child protective
56	56	services;
57	57	(2) one member from the human resources department of
58	58	the commission appointed by the executive commissioner of the
59	59	Health and Human Services Commission; and
60	60	(3) any other person the chair of the Senate Health and
61	61	Human Services Committee and the chair of the House Human Services
62	62	Committee jointly determine to be appropriate.
63	63	(c) The persons appointing a member of the task force may
64	64	designate the member as a nonvoting member.
65	65	Sec. 531.973. VACANCY. A vacancy on the task force shall be
66	66	filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
67	67	Sec. 531.974. PRESIDING OFFICER. The member appointed by
68	68	the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services
69	69	Commission shall serve as the presiding officer of the task force.
70	70	Sec. 531.975. MEETINGS. The task force shall meet at the
71	71	call of the presiding officer.
72	72	Sec. 531.976. COMPENSATION; REIMBURSEMENT. Members of the
73	73	task force are not entitled to compensation or reimbursement for
74	74	expenses.
75	75	Sec. 531.977. DUTIES. (a) The task force shall:
76	76	(1) receive reports and testimony from individuals,
77	77	state and local agencies, community-based organizations, and other
78	78	public and private organizations;
79	79	(2) examine hiring and management practices that
80	80	reduce turnover and improve outcomes for children, including
81	81	performance-based compensation and recognition, increasing the
82	82	percentage of hiring specialists with prior division experience,
83	83	improving the caseworker screening process, improving caseworker
84	84	assignments to best fit employee skills, involving unit supervisors
85	85	in the hiring and academy training process, implementing a
86	86	statewide mentorship program, and developing a process for making
87	87	caseworker unit assignments by geographic region; and
88	88	(3) develop any necessary policy recommendations.
89	89	(b) The task force shall prepare a report that includes:
90	90	(1) a description of the activities of the task force;
91	91	(2) the findings and recommendations of the task
92	92	force, including any proposed policy recommendations; and
93	93	(3) any proposals for legislation or other matters the
94	94	task force considers appropriate.
95	95	(c) Not later than September 1, 2014, the task force shall
96	96	submit the report required by Subsection (b) to the governor, the
97	97	lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
98	98	and the appropriate committees of the senate and the house of
99	99	representatives.
100	100	Sec. 531.978. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. The commission shall
101	101	provide reasonably necessary administrative and technical support
102	102	for task force activities.
103	103	Sec. 531.979. RULEMAKING ASSISTANCE. The department shall
104	104	seek the assistance of the task force if the department proposes to
105	105	adopt or amend a rule as the result of a recommendation of the task
106	106	force.
107	107	Sec. 531.980. APPLICABILITY OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE LAW.
108	108	Chapter 2110 does not apply to the task force.
109	109	Sec. 531.981. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished and
110	110	this subchapter expires September 1, 2015.
111	111	SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
112	112	of this Act, the appropriate persons shall appoint the members of
113	113	the task force created by Subchapter X, Chapter 531, Government
114	114	Code, as added by this Act.
115	115	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
116	116	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
117	117	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
118	118	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
119	119	Act takes effect September 1, 2013.