| 2 | 7 | | |
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| 3 | 8 | | |
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| 4 | 9 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 10 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 11 | | relating to the designation of support services liaison officers at |
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| 7 | 12 | | public institutions of higher education. |
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| 8 | 13 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 14 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
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| 10 | 15 | | amended by adding Section 51.9358 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 16 | | Sec. 51.9358. DESIGNATION OF SUPPORT SERVICES LIAISON |
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| 12 | 17 | | OFFICER TO ASSIST STUDENTS. (a) In this section: |
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| 13 | 18 | | (1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
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| 14 | 19 | | Education Coordinating Board. |
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| 15 | 20 | | (2) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning |
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| 16 | 21 | | assigned by Section 61.003. |
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| 17 | 22 | | (b) Each institution of higher education shall designate at |
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| 18 | 23 | | least one employee of the institution to act as a liaison officer |
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| 19 | 24 | | for current or incoming students at the institution. The liaison |
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| 20 | 25 | | officer shall provide to the students comprehensive information |
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| 21 | 26 | | regarding support services and other resources available to the |
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| 22 | 27 | | students, including: |
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| 23 | 28 | | (1) resources to access: |
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| 24 | 29 | | (A) medical and behavioral health coverage and |
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| 25 | 30 | | services; and |
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| 26 | 31 | | (B) public benefit programs, including programs |
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| 27 | 32 | | related to food security, affordable housing, and housing |
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| 28 | 33 | | subsidies; |
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| 29 | 34 | | (2) public benefit program case management assistance |
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| 30 | 35 | | and counseling; |
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| 31 | 36 | | (3) parenting and child care resources; |
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| 32 | 37 | | (4) employment assistance; |
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| 33 | 38 | | (5) financial counseling and tax preparation |
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| 34 | 39 | | assistance; |
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| 35 | 40 | | (6) transportation assistance; |
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| 36 | 41 | | (7) student academic success strategies; and |
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| 37 | 42 | | (8) any other resources developed by the institution |
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| 38 | 43 | | to assist the students. |
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| 39 | 44 | | (c) An institution of higher education may designate under |
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| 40 | 45 | | Subsection (b) the same employee to act as liaison officer as the |
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| 41 | 46 | | employee designated under Section 51.9356 to act as liaison officer |
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| 42 | 47 | | for current and incoming students at the institution who were |
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| 43 | 48 | | formerly in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and |
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| 44 | 49 | | Protective Services. |
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| 45 | 50 | | SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020 |
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| 46 | 51 | | academic year. |
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| 47 | 52 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 48 | 53 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 49 | 54 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 50 | 55 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 51 | 56 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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