84R7734 KKR-F
By: Thompson of Harris H.B. No. 2550
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment and duties of a task force to study
and make recommendations on family support and parent education
programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter M to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER M. TASK FORCE ON FAMILY SUPPORT AND PARENT
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Sec. 531.431. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "task force"
means the task force on family support and parent education
programs established under Section 531.432.
Sec. 531.432. ESTABLISHMENT OF TASK FORCE. The task force
on family support and parent education programs is established to
advise the executive commissioner regarding:
(1) the availability and quality of family support and
parent education programs in this state;
(2) expanding access in this state to family support
and parent education programs of varying degrees of intensity;
(3) using existing administrative and program data to
identify and evaluate gaps in family support and parent education
program curriculum and informing providers of family support and
parent education programs of those gaps and of underserved
geographic areas and populations;
(4) developing policy recommendations for family
support and parent education programs;
(5) determining uniform desired outcomes for family
support and parent education programs and establishing
accountability standards relating to those outcomes; and
(6) developing comprehensive statewide best practice
guidelines for family support and parent education programs.
Sec. 531.433. COMPOSITION OF TASK FORCE. The task force is
composed of 16 members appointed by the executive commissioner as
follows:
(1) one representative of the commission;
(2) one representative of a school readiness
organization;
(3) one representative of a child abuse and neglect
prevention organization;
(4) one representative of a parent education
organization;
(5) one representative of a mental health
organization;
(6) one representative of The University of Texas
School of Public Health;
(7) one representative of the prevention and early
intervention program of the Department of Family and Protective
Services;
(8) one representative of the nurse-family
partnership program of the Department of State Health Services;
(9) one university-based research professional who
has expertise in evaluating family support and parent education
program outcomes;
(10) one provider of evidence-based family support and
parent education programs;
(11) one representative from the Texas Education
Agency;
(12) one representative of a faith-based
organization;
(13) one medical professional with experience serving
families;
(14) one representative from the Texas State Advisory
Council on Early Childhood Education and Care;
(15) one representative of the business sector; and
(16) one representative of an organization that
invests in family support and parent education programs.
Sec. 531.434. PRESIDING OFFICER. The executive
commissioner shall appoint a member of the task force to serve as
presiding officer.
Sec. 531.435. VACANCY. A vacancy on the task force shall be
filled by appointment in the same manner as the original
appointment.
Sec. 531.436. MEETINGS. The task force shall meet at least
quarterly at the call of the presiding officer. The task force
shall meet at other times as determined by the presiding officer.
Sec. 531.437. DUTIES. (a) The task force shall:
(1) receive reports and testimony from individuals,
state and local governmental agencies, community-based
organizations, and other public and private organizations
regarding family support and parent education programs;
(2) identify family support and parent education
programs that are being implemented in this state and describe for
each program:
(A) the scope of the program, both geographically
and in terms of content;
(B) whether the program is evidence-based;
(C) the effectiveness of the program; and
(D) the manner in which the program's
effectiveness and outcomes are monitored;
(3) develop a comprehensive strategy for increasing
access by parents in this state to evidence-based family support
and parent education programs of varying degrees of intensity;
(4) assess this state's compliance with:
(A) any applicable requirements that a family
support and parent education program in which a parent participates
under a court order or at the request of the child protective
services division of the Department of Family and Protective
Services be evidence-based; and
(B) state funding allocation requirements for
evidence-based family support and parent education programs; and
(5) develop policy and other recommendations for:
(A) expanding evidence-based family support and
parent education programs; and
(B) establishing comprehensive statewide best
practice guidelines for family support and parent education
programs.
(b) In developing recommendations under Subsection (a)(5),
the task force shall include recommendations regarding:
(1) family support and parent education program
funding in this state;
(2) methods for using existing administrative and
program data to:
(A) identify populations in need of additional
services;
(B) identify long-term measures of program
effectiveness; and
(C) assess the performance of programs and
relevant state agencies; and
(3) appropriate programs for specific populations,
including:
(A) ethnic and racial minority populations; and
(B) families exhibiting both low and high levels
of risk factors, which include a preterm birth, poverty, having low
parent educational attainment, having one or more teenage parents,
having poor maternal health, and having parent unemployment or
underemployment.
Sec. 531.438. REPORT. (a) The task force shall prepare a
report that includes:
(1) a description of the activities of the task force;
(2) the findings and recommendations of the task
force, including recommendations described by Section
531.437(a)(5); and
(3) proposed legislation or recommendations or
information on any other relevant matter that the task force
considers appropriate.
(b) Not later than December 1, 2016, the task force shall
submit the report prepared under this section to the executive
commissioner, the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of
the house of representatives, and the presiding officers of the
standing committees of the senate and house of representatives
having primary jurisdiction over issues relating to family support
and parent education.
Sec. 531.439. RESPONSIBILITIES OF COMMISSION. (a) The
commission shall provide reasonably necessary administrative and
technical support to the task force.
(b) The executive commissioner shall consider implementing
the recommendations of the task force. If the executive
commissioner proposes to adopt or amend a rule as a result of the
recommendations of the task force, the executive commissioner shall
seek input from the task force in developing the new or amended
rule.
Sec. 531.440. COMPENSATION; REIMBURSEMENT. Members of the
task force serve without compensation and may not be reimbursed for
travel or other expenses incurred while conducting the business of
the task force.
Sec. 531.441. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAW. Chapter 2110
does not apply to the task force.
Sec. 531.442. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The commission
may accept on behalf of the task force a gift, grant, or donation
from any source to carry out the purposes of this subchapter.
Sec. 531.443. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished and
this subchapter expires September 1, 2017.
SECTION 2. The executive commissioner of the Health and
Human Services Commission shall appoint the members of the task
force on family support and parent education programs in accordance
with Subchapter M, Chapter 531, Government Code, as added by this
Act, as soon as possible after the effective date of 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, 2015.