| 1 | 1 | | By: Harrison H.B. No. 4242 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to standardizing definitions of homelessness. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Section 531.001, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 9 | 9 | | adding subsection (9) to read as follows: |
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| 10 | 10 | | (9) "Homeless", "homelessness", and "homeless |
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| 11 | 11 | | persons" mean individuals or families lacking a fixed, regular, and |
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| 12 | 12 | | adequate nighttime residence as described in the federal |
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| 13 | 13 | | McKinney-Vento homeless assistance act (Title 42 U.S.C., chapter |
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| 14 | 14 | | 119, subchapter I) as it existed on January 1, 2023. |
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| 15 | 15 | | SECTION 2. Section 539.001, Government Code, is amended to |
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| 16 | 16 | | read as follows: |
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| 17 | 17 | | Sec. 539.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:, |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) "dDepartment" means the Department of State Health |
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| 19 | 19 | | Services. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) "Homeless", "homeless family", "homeless youth", |
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| 21 | 21 | | and "person experiencing homelessness" mean individuals or |
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| 22 | 22 | | families lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence |
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| 23 | 23 | | as described in the federal McKinney-Vento homeless assistance act |
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| 24 | 24 | | (Title 42 U.S.C., chapter 119, subchapter I) as it existed on |
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| 25 | 25 | | January 1, 2023. |
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| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 3. Section 2306.004, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 27 | 27 | | adding subsection (12-b) to read as follows: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (12-b) "Homeless", "homelessness", and "homeless |
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| 29 | 29 | | individuals" mean individuals or families lacking a fixed, regular, |
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| 30 | 30 | | and adequate nighttime residence as described in the federal |
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| 31 | 31 | | McKinney-Vento homeless assistance act (Title 42 U.S.C., chapter |
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| 32 | 32 | | 119, subchapter I) as it existed on January 1, 2023. |
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| 33 | 33 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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