By: Raymond, Price, Naishtat H.B. No. 1678
(Senate Sponsor - Schwertner)
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 13, 2015;
April 21, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on Health
and Human Services; May 6, 2015, reported favorably by the
following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 6, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the continuation and functions of the Governor's
Committee on People with Disabilities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 115.005, Human Resources Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 115.005. SUNSET PROVISION. The Governor's Committee
on People with Disabilities is subject to Chapter 325, Government
Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued in existence as provided
by that chapter, the committee is abolished and this chapter
expires September 1, 2027 [2015].
SECTION 2. Section 115.009, Human Resources Code, as
amended by S.B. No. 219, Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular
Session, 2015, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 115.009. FUNCTIONS. The committee shall:
(1) serve as a central source of information and
education on the abilities, rights, problems, and needs of persons
with disabilities and, as necessary, issue reports;
(2) provide information to and advise the governor and
the governor's staff on matters relating to the full participation
of persons with disabilities in all aspects of life;
(3) before the end of each even-numbered year, submit
to the governor and to the legislature a report that includes[:
[(A) the status of the state's compliance with
federal and state laws pertaining to rights and opportunities for
persons with disabilities and recommendations to achieve further
compliance, if necessary;
[(B) a long-range state plan for persons with
disabilities and recommendations to implement that plan; and
[(C)] any recommended changes in state laws
relating to persons with disabilities;
(4) serve as the state's liaison agency in working with
the Office of Disability [President's Committee on] Employment
Policy [of Persons with Disabilities] and other entities involved
in activities or concerns affecting persons with disabilities;
(5) develop and work with a statewide network of
volunteer community-level committees to promote dissemination of
information about and implementation of federal and state laws
addressing rights and opportunities for persons with disabilities;
(6) [evaluate the state's compliance with the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 12101 et
seq.) and other federal and state statutes relating to rights and
opportunities for persons with disabilities;
[(7)] provide information and technical assistance to
public and private agencies and businesses to promote and
facilitate implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 12101 et seq.) and other federal and state
statutes relating to rights and opportunities of persons with
disabilities;
(7) [ (8) collect and evaluate data on employment of
persons with disabilities by state agencies;
[(9)] work with legislative committees and with state
agencies on the development of laws and policies that affect
persons with disabilities;
(8) [(10)] promote the compilation and publication of
state laws relating to persons with disabilities; [and]
(9) [(11)] issue awards and other forms of recognition
to persons and organizations making outstanding contributions to
the employment of persons with disabilities and to public awareness
of issues impacting persons with disabilities;
(10) identify each current long-range plan relating to
persons with disabilities in this state created by a state agency, a
committee of a state agency, or a nonprofit organization required
by federal law to produce such a plan, and publish the link to the
Internet website address for each long-range plan, if available, on
the Internet website of the Governor's Committee on People with
Disabilities; and
(11) review and analyze the long-range plans described
by Subdivision (10) to identify gaps in state laws and services for
persons with disabilities and make biennial recommendations in the
committee's report required under Subdivision (3) to address
identified gaps.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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