By: Johnson S.B. No. 2251
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of a pilot program to create
additional housing for certain individuals with an intellectual or
developmental disability through a Medicaid waiver program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 531.02441 to read as follows:
Sec. 531.02441. PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The commission shall
establish and conduct a pilot program for a period of ten years that
provides funding to a community non-profit corporation to create
additional housing in this state for not less than 100 individuals
with an intellectual or developmental disability through the home
and community-based services (HCS) waiver program.
(b) The community non-profit corporation funded under this
section must:
(1) be in a county with a population between 900,000
and 1.5 million that is located adjacent to a county with a
population of 2.5 million or more; and
(2) have a history of providing services to not less
than 300 individuals with an intellectual or developmental
disability for a period of not less than 10 years.
(c) In establishing the pilot program, the commission shall
set a goal to reduce the number of individuals residing and
receiving services in state supported living centers, as defined by
Section 531.002, Health and Safety Code, to an extent necessary to
offset the costs of the pilot program.
(d) The commission shall use proceeds from general
obligations bonds issued by the Texas Public Finance Authority to
provide funding for the creation of additional housing under the
pilot program.
(e) The community non-profit corporation that is provided
with funding under the pilot program shall prepare and submit an
annual report to the commission that summarizes the results of the
pilot program.
SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act
a state agency determines that any other waiver or authorization
from a federal agency is necessary for implementation of that
provision, the agency affected by the provision shall request the
waiver or authorization and may delay implementing that provision
until the waiver or authorization is granted.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect on January 1, 2020, but
only if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 86th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2019, authorizing the issuance of
general obligation bonds for conducting a program to create
additional housing for individuals with an intellectual or
developmental disability is approved by the voters. If that
amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act has no effect.