Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1917 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	S.B. No. 1917
	1	+	By: Lucio, et al. S.B. No. 1917
	2	+	(Meza)
2	3
3	4
	5	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	6		AN ACT
5	7		relating to a public outreach campaign for aging adults with visual
6	8		impairments.
7	9		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	10		SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
9	11		amended by adding Section 531.0319 to read as follows:
10	12		Sec. 531.0319. OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS FOR AGING ADULTS WITH
11	13		VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS. (a) The commission, in collaboration with the
12	14		Texas State Library and Archives Commission and other appropriate
13	15		state agencies, shall conduct public awareness and education
14	16		outreach campaigns designed to provide information relating to the
15	17		programs and resources available to aging adults who are blind or
16	18		visually impaired in this state. The campaigns must be:
17	19		(1) tailored to targeted populations, including:
18	20		(A) aging adults with or at risk of blindness or
19	21		visual impairment and the families and caregivers of those adults;
20	22		(B) health care providers, including home and
21	23		community-based services providers, health care facilities, and
22	24		emergency medical services providers;
23	25		(C) community and faith-based organizations; and
24	26		(D) the general public; and
25	27		(2) disseminated through methods appropriate for each
26	28		targeted population, including by:
27	29		(A) attending health fairs; and
28	30		(B) working with organizations or groups that
29	31		serve aging adults, including community clinics, libraries,
30	32		support groups for aging adults, veterans organizations,
31	33		for-profit providers of vision services, and the state and local
32	34		chapters of the National Federation of the Blind.
33	35		(b) To support campaigns conducted under this section, the
34	36		commission shall:
35	37		(1) establish a toll-free telephone number for
36	38		providing counseling and referrals to appropriate services for
37	39		aging adults who are blind or visually impaired;
38	40		(2) post on the commission's Internet website
39	41		information and training resources for aging adults, community
40	42		stakeholders, and health care and other service providers that
41	43		generally serve aging adults, including:
42	44		(A) links to Internet websites that contain
43	45		resources for persons who are blind or visually impaired;
44	46		(B) existing videos that provide awareness of
45	47		blindness and visual impairments among aging adults and the
46	48		importance of early intervention;
47	49		(C) best practices for referring aging adults at
48	50		risk of blindness or visual impairment for appropriate services;
49	51		and
50	52		(D) training about resources available for aging
51	53		adults who are blind or visually impaired for the staff of aging and
52	54		disability resource centers established under the Aging and
53	55		Disability Resource Center initiative funded in part by the federal
54	56		Administration on Aging and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
55	57		Services;
56	58		(3) designate a contact in the commission to assist
57	59		aging adults who are diagnosed with a visual impairment and are
58	60		losing vision and the families of those adults with locating and
59	61		obtaining appropriate services; and
60	62		(4) encourage awareness of the reading services for
61	63		persons who are blind or visually impaired that are offered by the
62	64		Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
63	65		(c) The executive commissioner may adopt rules necessary to
64	66		implement this section.
65	67		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
66		-	______________________________ ______________________________
67		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
68		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1917 passed the Senate on
69		-	April 26, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
70		-	______________________________
71		-	Secretary of the Senate
72		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1917 passed the House on
73		-	May 26, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 109, Nays 38, two
74		-	present not voting.
75		-	______________________________
76		-	Chief Clerk of the House
77		-	Approved:
78		-	______________________________
79		-	Date
80		-	______________________________
81		-	Governor