| 1 | 1 | | 89R9952 JG-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Cole H.B. No. 2724 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to equitable operations policies for certain emergency |
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| 10 | 10 | | homeless shelters. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended by adding Section 2306.0945 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 2306.0945. EMERGENCY HOMELESS SHELTER EQUITABLE |
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| 15 | 15 | | OPERATIONS POLICIES. (a) This section applies only to an emergency |
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| 16 | 16 | | homeless shelter that receives financial assistance administered |
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| 17 | 17 | | by the department, including federal funds described by Section |
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| 18 | 18 | | 2306.094. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) The department by rule shall require each emergency |
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| 20 | 20 | | homeless shelter to adopt and implement equitable operations |
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| 21 | 21 | | policies designed to ensure that individuals experiencing |
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| 22 | 22 | | homelessness in this state have equal access to shelter and support |
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| 23 | 23 | | services regardless of the individuals' race, ethnicity, national |
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| 24 | 24 | | origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, |
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| 25 | 25 | | disability, or other protected status. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (c) The equitable operations policies must require an |
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| 27 | 27 | | emergency homeless shelter to: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (1) eliminate discriminatory practices in the |
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| 29 | 29 | | admission of individuals to and the discharge of individuals from |
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| 30 | 30 | | the shelter and in the provision of services; |
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| 31 | 31 | | (2) offer culturally and linguistically appropriate |
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| 32 | 32 | | services and accommodations; |
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| 33 | 33 | | (3) ensure that each individual receiving services |
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| 34 | 34 | | from the shelter has access to the same level of basic amenities, |
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| 35 | 35 | | such as clean and safe sleeping accommodations, showers, restrooms, |
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| 36 | 36 | | and laundry facilities; |
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| 37 | 37 | | (4) provide individuals receiving services from the |
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| 38 | 38 | | shelter with access to supportive services, such as case |
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| 39 | 39 | | management, employment assistance, health care, and mental health |
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| 40 | 40 | | and substance use treatment; |
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| 41 | 41 | | (5) prioritize the needs of individuals who are most |
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| 42 | 42 | | vulnerable, including families with children, pregnant |
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| 43 | 43 | | individuals, individuals with disabilities, and survivors of |
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| 44 | 44 | | domestic violence; |
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| 45 | 45 | | (6) adopt trauma-informed care practices to ensure |
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| 46 | 46 | | that each individual receiving services from the shelter is treated |
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| 47 | 47 | | with dignity and respect; |
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| 48 | 48 | | (7) provide staff training and professional |
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| 49 | 49 | | development on issues related to equity, diversity, and inclusion; |
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| 50 | 50 | | (8) establish and implement other holistic operations |
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| 51 | 51 | | policies determined by the department to maximize the opportunity |
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| 52 | 52 | | for stabilization of the community the shelter serves during and |
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| 53 | 53 | | after a public emergency; and |
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| 54 | 54 | | (9) collect and report data to the department in |
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| 55 | 55 | | accordance with department rule on the demographic characteristics |
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| 56 | 56 | | of shelter residents and outcomes achieved. |
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| 57 | 57 | | (d) The department shall develop and distribute to each |
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| 58 | 58 | | emergency shelter guidelines and best practices for the adoption |
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| 59 | 59 | | and implementation of the equitable operations policies. |
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| 60 | 60 | | (e) The department shall monitor emergency homeless |
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| 61 | 61 | | shelters to ensure compliance with this section. |
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| 62 | 62 | | (f) The department may not provide financial assistance to |
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| 63 | 63 | | an emergency shelter that fails to adopt and implement the |
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| 64 | 64 | | equitable operations policies required by this section. |
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| 65 | 65 | | (g) The department may collaborate with local emergency |
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| 66 | 66 | | homeless shelter regulatory authorities in carrying out this |
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| 67 | 67 | | section. |
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| 68 | 68 | | (h) The senate finance committee and the house |
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| 69 | 69 | | appropriations committee shall use the equitable operations |
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| 70 | 70 | | policies required by this section as a guide in determining the |
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| 71 | 71 | | costs and funding sources of those policies. |
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| 72 | 72 | | SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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| 73 | 73 | | of this Act, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs |
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| 74 | 74 | | shall adopt the rules required by Section 2306.0945, Government |
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| 75 | 75 | | Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 76 | 76 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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