| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to a study on the feasibility of establishing a |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | centralized homelessness crisis response data system. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. (a) In this section, "council" means the Texas |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | Interagency Council for the Homeless established under Subchapter |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | KK, Chapter 2306, Government Code. |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | (b) The council shall conduct a study on the feasibility of |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | establishing a centralized homelessness crisis response data |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | system through which state agencies, local governmental entities, |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | including law enforcement agencies, court systems, school |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | districts, and emergency service providers, and other relevant |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | persons are able to share and access information related to |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | individuals who experience chronic homelessness in order to connect |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | or refer those individuals to services, including affordable |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | housing opportunities. |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (c) In conducting the study under this section, the council |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | shall: |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (1) consult with representatives of the entities |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | described by Subsection (b) of this section to determine the |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | challenges faced by those entities in addressing chronic |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | homelessness and how best to improve the responses to those |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | challenges; and |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | (2) assess the feasibility of the centralized |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | homelessness crisis response data system described by Subsection |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (b) of this section to: |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (A) collect data from other homelessness crisis |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | response data systems maintained or operated by a state agency, |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | local law enforcement agency, or other entity of this state; and |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | (B) collect, aggregate, analyze, and share |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | homelessness information with entities that have access to the |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | system. |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | (d) Not later than November 1, 2022, the council shall |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | prepare and submit to the Texas Department of Housing and Community |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | Affairs a written report that summarizes the results of the study |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | conducted under this section. |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 2. This Act expires September 1, 2023. |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
|---|