S.B. No. 1917
AN ACT
relating to a public outreach campaign for aging adults with visual
impairments.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 531.0319 to read as follows:
Sec. 531.0319. OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS FOR AGING ADULTS WITH
VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS. (a) The commission, in collaboration with the
Texas State Library and Archives Commission and other appropriate
state agencies, shall conduct public awareness and education
outreach campaigns designed to provide information relating to the
programs and resources available to aging adults who are blind or
visually impaired in this state. The campaigns must be:
(1) tailored to targeted populations, including:
(A) aging adults with or at risk of blindness or
visual impairment and the families and caregivers of those adults;
(B) health care providers, including home and
community-based services providers, health care facilities, and
emergency medical services providers;
(C) community and faith-based organizations; and
(D) the general public; and
(2) disseminated through methods appropriate for each
targeted population, including by:
(A) attending health fairs; and
(B) working with organizations or groups that
serve aging adults, including community clinics, libraries,
support groups for aging adults, veterans organizations,
for-profit providers of vision services, and the state and local
chapters of the National Federation of the Blind.
(b) To support campaigns conducted under this section, the
commission shall:
(1) establish a toll-free telephone number for
providing counseling and referrals to appropriate services for
aging adults who are blind or visually impaired;
(2) post on the commission's Internet website
information and training resources for aging adults, community
stakeholders, and health care and other service providers that
generally serve aging adults, including:
(A) links to Internet websites that contain
resources for persons who are blind or visually impaired;
(B) existing videos that provide awareness of
blindness and visual impairments among aging adults and the
importance of early intervention;
(C) best practices for referring aging adults at
risk of blindness or visual impairment for appropriate services;
and
(D) training about resources available for aging
adults who are blind or visually impaired for the staff of aging and
disability resource centers established under the Aging and
Disability Resource Center initiative funded in part by the federal
Administration on Aging and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services;
(3) designate a contact in the commission to assist
aging adults who are diagnosed with a visual impairment and are
losing vision and the families of those adults with locating and
obtaining appropriate services; and
(4) encourage awareness of the reading services for
persons who are blind or visually impaired that are offered by the
Texas State Library and Archives Commission.
(c) The executive commissioner may adopt rules necessary to
implement this section.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1917 passed the Senate on
April 26, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1917 passed the House on
May 26, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 109, Nays 38, two
present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor