89R15287 AND-F
By: Morales Shaw H.B. No. 4838
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to conducting an assessment of language accessibility with
respect to certain health and human services programs and 2-1-1
services provided by the Texas Information and Referral Network.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. (a) In this section:
(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services
Commission.
(2) "Executive commissioner" means the executive
commissioner of the commission.
(b) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this
Act, the commission shall employ a language access coordinator to
conduct an assessment of and identify gaps in non-English speakers'
access to the health and human services programs administered by
the commission and 2-1-1 services provided by the Texas Information
and Referral Network.
(c) Not later than the first anniversary of the date the
commission employs a language access coordinator under Subsection
(b) of this section, the coordinator shall conduct the assessment
described by that subsection and submit to the executive
commissioner a written report that:
(1) summarizes the findings of the assessment; and
(2) provides recommendations for increasing
non-English speakers' access to health and human services programs
and 2-1-1 services provided by the Texas Information and Referral
Network throughout this state.
SECTION 2. This Act expires June 1, 2027.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.