| 1 | 1 | | By: Watson S.B. No. 1997 |
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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 establishing a pilot program for professional support |
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| 7 | 7 | | service provider services for persons who are deaf-blind. |
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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. Section 81.001, Human Resources Code, is amended |
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| 10 | 10 | | by adding Subsection (6) to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | (6) "Support service provider" means a person who is |
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| 12 | 12 | | specially trained to enable persons who are deaf-blind to access |
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| 13 | 13 | | their environments and make informed decisions by providing visual |
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| 14 | 14 | | and environmental information, sighted guide services, and |
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| 15 | 15 | | communication accessibility in the person's preferred language and |
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| 16 | 16 | | communication mode. Preferred communication modes include |
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| 17 | 17 | | auditory amplification with a personal FM system, visible Signed |
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| 18 | 18 | | English, visible American Sign Language, or tactile sign language. |
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| 19 | 19 | | A support service provider does not provide personal care, run |
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| 20 | 20 | | errands alone for, or make decisions for a person who is deaf-blind, |
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| 21 | 21 | | teach or instruct a person who is deaf-blind, or interpret for a |
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| 22 | 22 | | person who is deaf-blind in formal settings, such as medical, |
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| 23 | 23 | | legal, or business appointments. |
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| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 2. Chapter 81, Human Resources Code, is amended by |
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| 25 | 25 | | adding Section 81.002 to read as follows: |
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| 26 | 26 | | Sec. 81.022. Support Service Provider Program Pilot. (a) |
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| 27 | 27 | | Out of funds provided for this program, the Department shall |
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| 28 | 28 | | develop a pilot program for the provision of support service |
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| 29 | 29 | | providers for persons who are deaf-blind. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (b) This pilot shall be located in two counties in the State |
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| 31 | 31 | | where a significant deaf-blind population resides. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (c) The Department has the authority to develop rules to: |
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| 33 | 33 | | (1) administer the pilot program in a manner that |
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| 34 | 34 | | balances maximum efficiency, serving the most people as possible, |
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| 35 | 35 | | and how to best serve the deaf-blind community; and |
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| 36 | 36 | | (2) ensure those receiving compensation for service as |
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| 37 | 37 | | a support service provider have a proper level of training. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (d) The Department shall establish a pay rate for the |
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| 39 | 39 | | support service providers that utilizes a tiered wage scale based |
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| 40 | 40 | | on a support service provider's: |
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| 41 | 41 | | (1) level of training; |
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| 42 | 42 | | (2) fluency in the deaf-blind person's preferred |
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| 43 | 43 | | communication mode; and |
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| 44 | 44 | | (3) other skills in deaf-blind communication |
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| 45 | 45 | | modalities. |
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| 46 | 46 | | (e) The agency shall begin planning for the implementation |
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| 47 | 47 | | of this pilot during the year proceeding the starting date. |
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| 48 | 48 | | (f) This pilot is to begin September 1, 2018. |
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| 49 | 49 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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