Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB645 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		89R960 KKR-F
2		-	By: González of El Paso, Hull, Rose, Noble, H.B. No. 645
3		-	et al.
4		-
5		-
	2	+	By: González of El Paso, Rose, Noble H.B. No. 645
6	3
7	4
8	5		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
9	6		AN ACT
10	7		relating to the provision of certain co-navigation services to
11	8		individuals who are deaf-blind.
12	9		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	10		SECTION 1. Section 81.001, Human Resources Code, is amended
14	11		by adding Subdivision (1) to read as follows:
15	12		(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services
16	13		Commission.
17	14		SECTION 2. Chapter 81, Human Resources Code, is amended by
18	15		adding Section 81.014 to read as follows:
19	16		Sec. 81.014. CO-NAVIGATION SERVICES PROGRAM FOR
20	17		INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF-BLIND. (a) In this section:
21	18		(1) "Communication mode" includes communication
22	19		through:
23	20		(A) auditory amplification, such as through a
24	21		personal hearing aid or assistive listening device;
25	22		(B) American Sign Language or Signed English by
26	23		both tactile and visual means; and
27	24		(C) protactile language.
28	25		(2) "Co-navigation services" means services provided
29	26		to an individual who is deaf-blind that assist the individual to
30	27		physically access the individual's environment and to make informed
31	28		decisions. The term includes providing visual and environmental
32	29		information or sighted guide services and assisting with
33	30		communication accessibility by communicating in the preferred
34	31		language and communication mode of the individual who is
35	32		deaf-blind. The term does not include performing any of the
36	33		following for the individual:
37	34		(A) providing personal care services to the
38	35		individual;
39	36		(B) completing ordinary errands for the
40	37		individual;
41	38		(C) making decisions for the individual;
42	39		(D) teaching or otherwise instructing the
43	40		individual; or
44	41		(E) interpreting for the individual in a formal
45	42		setting, including a medical, legal, or business setting.
46	43		(3) "Co-navigator" means a person who is specially
47	44		trained to provide co-navigation services.
48	45		(4) "Program" means the deaf-blind co-navigation
49	46		services program.
50	47		(5) "Protactile language" means a method of
51	48		communication based on touch that is used by individuals who are
52	49		deaf-blind.
53	50		(b) The commission shall operate a statewide co-navigation
54	51		services program through which:
55	52		(1) co-navigation services are provided by
56	53		co-navigators; and
57	54		(2) the commission reimburses the co-navigators for
58	55		the provision of the services.
59	56		(c) The executive commissioner by rule shall establish
60	57		reimbursement rates to be paid to a co-navigator under the program.
61	58		The reimbursement rates must use a tiered wage scale that is based
62	59		on the co-navigator's:
63	60		(1) level of training in communication modes for
64	61		individuals who are deaf-blind and in sighted guide-mobility
65	62		techniques; and
66	63		(2) fluency and skill in communication modes and
67	64		sighted guide-mobility for individuals who are deaf-blind.
68	65		(d) The commission shall ensure that quality co-navigation
69	66		services are provided under the program by:
70	67		(1) monitoring the compliance of co-navigators with
71	68		program rules;
72	69		(2) developing funding sources for the program that
73	70		are in addition to state sources and will reduce reliance on the
74	71		state sources for continuation of the program; and
75	72		(3) providing funding and technical assistance for
76	73		training programs for:
77	74		(A) co-navigators under the program; and
78	75		(B) individuals who are deaf-blind to enable
79	76		those individuals to effectively use the services offered under the
80	77		program.
81	78		(e) The executive commissioner may establish an advisory
82	79		committee to advise the commission in developing and operating the
83	80		program, including operating the program in a manner that ensures
84	81		the efficient use of state money. Subject to Section 2110.002,
85	82		Government Code, the executive commissioner shall determine the
86	83		number of members serving on the advisory committee, which must
87	84		include individuals who are deaf-blind and other stakeholders.
88	85		(f) The executive commissioner may adopt rules necessary
89	86		to:
90	87		(1) operate the program in a manner that is efficient
91	88		and maximizes the number of individuals served; and
92	89		(2) ensure that co-navigators receiving reimbursement
93	90		under the program have adequate training to provide co-navigation
94	91		services.
95	92		SECTION 3. Not later than September 1, 2026:
96	93		(1) the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
97	94		Services Commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement
98	95		Section 81.014, Human Resources Code, as added by this Act; and
99	96		(2) the commission shall begin operating the program
100	97		required by that section.
101	98		SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.