| 1 | 1 | | By: Raymond H.B. No. 4186 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the administration of human services block grant |
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| 7 | 7 | | programs |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Government Code Section 2105 is amended in part |
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| 10 | 10 | | to read: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 2105.002. COMBINATION OF PROGRAMS NOT INTENDED TO |
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| 12 | 12 | | REDUCE SERVICES. The process of combining categorical federal |
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| 13 | 13 | | assistance programs into block grants should not have an overall |
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| 14 | 14 | | effect of reducing the relative proportion of services and benefits |
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| 15 | 15 | | made available to low-income individuals, elderly individuals, |
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| 16 | 16 | | individuals with disabilities, and migrant and seasonal |
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| 17 | 17 | | agricultural workers, provided that no individual who would have |
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| 18 | 18 | | received services before the categorical assistance program was |
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| 19 | 19 | | combined into a block grant shall be ineligible solely because the |
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| 20 | 20 | | program has been combined into a block grant. |
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| 21 | 21 | | Sec. 2105.005 PRIORITY TO POVERTY PROGRAMS. (a) An agency |
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| 22 | 22 | | should give priority to programs that remedy the causes and cycle of |
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| 23 | 23 | | poverty if: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (1) the alleviation of poverty is a purpose of the |
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| 25 | 25 | | block grant; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2) the agency has discretion over the types of |
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| 27 | 27 | | programs that may be funded with the block grant. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (b) In administering a block grant, an agency shall consult: |
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| 29 | 29 | | (1) low-income recipients; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) low-income intended recipients; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | (3) organizations representing low-income |
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| 32 | 32 | | individuals. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (c) To the extent consistent with the purpose of the block |
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| 34 | 34 | | grant, an agency's rules shall ensure that providers use block |
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| 35 | 35 | | grant funds to the maximum benefit of low-income recipients and |
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| 36 | 36 | | intended recipients and shall ensure, in regard to any categorical |
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| 37 | 37 | | program administered by the provider which has been combined into a |
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| 38 | 38 | | block grant, that no individual who would have been eligible to |
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| 39 | 39 | | receive services before the categorical assistance program was |
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| 40 | 40 | | combined into a block grant shall be ineligible solely because the |
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| 41 | 41 | | program has been combined into a block grant. |
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| 42 | 42 | | Sec. 2105.054. NOTICE OF HEARING. (a) An agency shall: |
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| 43 | 43 | | (1) provide notice of a public hearing regarding the |
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| 44 | 44 | | plan for a block grant not later than the 15th day before the date of |
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| 45 | 45 | | the hearing; |
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| 46 | 46 | | (2) post the notice in a conspicuous place in each |
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| 47 | 47 | | agency office; |
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| 48 | 48 | | (3) include in the notice a clear and concise |
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| 49 | 49 | | description of the matters to be considered including but not |
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| 50 | 50 | | limited to the extent of anticipated reductions or increases in |
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| 51 | 51 | | services under the block grant and a statement of the manner in |
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| 52 | 52 | | which written comments may be submitted; |
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| 53 | 53 | | (4) maintain lists of interested persons; |
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| 54 | 54 | | (5) mail notices of hearings to interested persons; |
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| 55 | 55 | | and |
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| 56 | 56 | | (6) conduct other activities necessary to promote |
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| 57 | 57 | | public participation in the public hearing. |
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| 58 | 58 | | (b) A notice prepared under this section must be printed in |
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| 59 | 59 | | English and Spanish. |
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| 60 | 60 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017 |
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