Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB278 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R2570 LED-F
2	2	By: Howard H.B. No. 278
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the establishment of the task force on asylum-seeking
8	8	children.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Chapter 403, Government Code, is amended by
11	11	adding Subchapter R to read as follows:
12	12	SUBCHAPTER R. TASK FORCE ON ASYLUM-SEEKING CHILDREN
13	13	Sec. 403.501. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
14	14	(1) "Asylum-seeking child" means a minor fleeing
15	15	Central America who is seeking asylum in the United States and who
16	16	has been released into a community in this state by:
17	17	(A) the Office of Refugee Resettlement; or
18	18	(B) United States Customs and Border Protection
19	19	or United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, pending an
20	20	immigration hearing.
21	21	(2) "Task force" means the task force on
22	22	asylum-seeking children.
23	23	Sec. 403.502. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSES. The task force on
24	24	asylum-seeking children is established to:
25	25	(1) study the humanitarian and fiscal impacts of the
26	26	presence of asylum-seeking children in this state related to:
27	27	(A) public education and school districts; and
28	28	(B) the provision of health and human services
29	29	and child protection; and
30	30	(2) produce a report outlining the status of
31	31	asylum-seeking children in this state and distribute that report to
32	32	state and federal officials.
33	33	Sec. 403.503. COMPOSITION. The task force is composed of
34	34	eight members to be appointed by the comptroller as follows:
35	35	(1) one representative of a faith-based organization
36	36	providing direct services to asylum-seeking children in this state;
37	37	(2) one representative of a community-based
38	38	organization providing direct services to asylum-seeking children
39	39	in this state;
40	40	(3) one member who is a superintendent of a school
41	41	district providing direct services to asylum-seeking children in
42	42	this state;
43	43	(4) one representative of a law enforcement agency;
44	44	(5) one representative of the Texas Education Agency;
45	45	(6) one representative of the Health and Human
46	46	Services Commission;
47	47	(7) one representative of the comptroller; and
48	48	(8) one representative of a foundation that invests in
49	49	humanitarian relief efforts for asylum-seeking children in this
50	50	state.
51	51	Sec. 403.504. MEETINGS. (a) The task force shall meet in
52	52	person at least three times each year and may hold additional
53	53	meetings in person or by conference call if necessary.
54	54	(b) Section 551.125 applies to a meeting held by conference
55	55	call under this section, except that Section 551.125(b) does not
56	56	apply.
57	57	Sec. 403.505. COMPENSATION. A member of the task force may
58	58	not receive compensation for service on the task force.
59	59	Sec. 403.506. REPORT. (a) Using funds available to the
60	60	task force under Section 403.507, the task force shall partner with
61	61	an independent third party to produce a report outlining the status
62	62	of asylum-seeking children in this state.
63	63	(b) The task force shall submit the report to the governor,
64	64	lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and
65	65	comptroller. The task force shall also submit the report to the
66	66	president of the United States, the secretary of the United States
67	67	Department of Health and Human Services, the secretary of the
68	68	United States Department of Education, and each member of the Texas
69	69	delegation to the United States Senate and House of
70	70	Representatives.
71	71	Sec. 403.507. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The
72	72	comptroller may accept on behalf of the task force a gift, grant, or
73	73	donation from any source to carry out the purposes of this
74	74	subchapter. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
75	75	subchapter, the comptroller is not required to convene the task
76	76	force to produce the report if sufficient private gifts, grants, or
77	77	donations are not available.
78	78	Sec. 403.508. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished and
79	79	this subchapter expires December 31, 2018.
80	80	SECTION 2. (a) Not later than December 31, 2017, the
81	81	comptroller of public accounts shall, subject to Section 403.507,
82	82	Government Code, as added by this Act, convene the task force
83	83	required under Subchapter R, Chapter 403, Government Code, as added
84	84	by this Act.
85	85	(b) If the comptroller of public accounts convenes the task
86	86	force under Subsection (a) of this section, not later than October
87	87	1, 2018, the task force shall submit the report required under
88	88	Subchapter R, Chapter 403, Government Code, as added by this Act.
89	89	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
90	90	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
91	91	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
92	92	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
93	93	Act takes effect September 1, 2017.