| 1 | 1 | | 88R4418 JG-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Campos H.B. No. 913 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the establishment of a statewide homelessness data |
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| 8 | 8 | | system. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter KK, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 2306.911 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 2306.911. STATEWIDE HOMELESSNESS DATA SYSTEM. (a) |
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| 13 | 13 | | The council shall collaborate with a state agency designated by the |
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| 14 | 14 | | council to establish a statewide homelessness data system through |
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| 15 | 15 | | which: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) state agencies and local governmental entities, |
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| 17 | 17 | | including law enforcement agencies, court systems, school |
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| 18 | 18 | | districts, and emergency service providers, are able to share |
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| 19 | 19 | | information related to individuals experiencing homelessness; and |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) the entities described by Subdivision (1) are able |
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| 21 | 21 | | to access information related to individuals experiencing |
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| 22 | 22 | | homelessness in order to connect or refer those individuals to |
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| 23 | 23 | | services, including affordable housing opportunities. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (b) In developing the data system, the council and the state |
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| 25 | 25 | | agency designated by the council shall: |
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| 26 | 26 | | (1) consult with representatives of the entities |
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| 27 | 27 | | described by Subsection (a) to determine the challenges faced by |
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| 28 | 28 | | those entities in addressing homelessness and how best to improve |
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| 29 | 29 | | the responses to those challenges; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) enter into data sharing agreements as necessary |
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| 31 | 31 | | for the exchange of information relating to individuals |
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| 32 | 32 | | experiencing homelessness through the data system; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | (3) ensure that information stored in the data system |
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| 34 | 34 | | that is confidential under state or federal law is not disclosed. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (c) The data system established under this section must: |
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| 36 | 36 | | (1) to the extent permitted by a data sharing |
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| 37 | 37 | | agreement, collect data from other homelessness data systems |
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| 38 | 38 | | maintained or operated by a state agency, local law enforcement |
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| 39 | 39 | | agency, or other entity of this state; and |
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| 40 | 40 | | (2) collect, aggregate, analyze, and share |
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| 41 | 41 | | homelessness information submitted to the data system with entities |
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| 42 | 42 | | that have access to the system. |
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| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2025, the Texas |
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| 44 | 44 | | Interagency Council for the Homeless described by Subchapter KK, |
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| 45 | 45 | | Chapter 2306, Government Code, or an entity designated by the |
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| 46 | 46 | | council shall prepare and submit to the legislature and the Texas |
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| 47 | 47 | | Department of Housing and Community Affairs a written report that |
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| 48 | 48 | | evaluates the effectiveness of the statewide homelessness data |
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| 49 | 49 | | system established under Section 2306.911, Government Code, as |
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| 50 | 50 | | added by this Act, in addressing homelessness in this state. |
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| 51 | 51 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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