89R15741 EAS-F
By: Perry S.B. No. 2397
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of the task force on disability
policy.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle I, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
by adding Chapter 550A to read as follows:
CHAPTER 550A. TASK FORCE ON DISABILITY POLICY
Sec. 550A.0001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "task force"
means the task force on disability policy established under Section
550A.0002.
Sec. 550A.0002. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE. The task force on
disability policy is established to:
(1) develop a comprehensive 10-year plan for this
state's disability policy; and
(2) provide strategic recommendations for state
policies to emphasize innovation, efficiency, and dignity for
individuals with a disability who reside in this state.
Sec. 550A.0003. COMPOSITION. (a) The task force is
composed of:
(1) at least 17 voting members appointed by the
governor as follows:
(A) two members of the senate;
(B) two members of the house of representatives;
(C) at least two members who are or are related to
someone who has a lived experience with:
(i) medical fragility or chronic complex
medical needs;
(ii) autism;
(iii) mental health issues;
(iv) intellectual and developmental
disabilities;
(v) transitional care services; or
(vi) physical disabilities;
(D) four members who are health care
professionals;
(E) two members who represent relevant advocacy
organizations;
(F) two members who represent institutions of
higher education in this state; and
(G) three members who are policy experts
specializing in health care, Medicaid services, special education,
mental health care, or disability services;
(2) at least one nonvoting member appointed by the
governor who is a representative of a local mental health authority
or a local intellectual and developmental disability authority, as
those terms are defined by Section 531.002, Health and Safety Code;
and
(3) additional nonvoting members as the task force
considers necessary who represent:
(A) relevant state agencies, appointed by the
executive head of each agency; and
(B) other interested persons or subject matter
experts.
(b) The governor shall consult with the lieutenant governor
and the speaker of the house of representatives in appointing task
force members to ensure bipartisan representation, engagement of
residents of this state, and diverse expertise on the task force.
Sec. 550A.0004. PRESIDING OFFICER. The governor shall
designate a member of the task force to serve as presiding officer
of the task force.
Sec. 550A.0005. VACANCY. A vacancy on the task force shall
be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
Sec. 550A.0006. MEETINGS. (a) The task force shall meet at
least once each quarter at the call of the presiding officer.
(b) The task force shall provide opportunities for members
of the public to participate in at least three meetings held at a
variety of locations in this state each calendar year.
Sec. 550A.0007. SUBCOMMITTEES ON SPECIFIC ISSUES; REPORTS.
(a) The task force shall establish subcommittees to address
specific issues impacting individuals with a disability,
including:
(1) health care;
(2) education;
(3) early childhood care;
(4) transitional care;
(5) crisis prevention and intervention;
(6) juvenile justice;
(7) mental health care;
(8) long-term community-based services and supports;
and
(9) alternative funding sources and service delivery
models for the issues described by Subdivisions (1)-(8).
(b) Each subcommittee must include:
(1) at least two task force members to serve as chair
and vice-chair of the subcommittee; and
(2) subject matter experts in fields relevant to the
subcommittee to provide specialized knowledge and guidance.
(c) Consistent with its purpose, each subcommittee shall:
(1) consult with relevant subject matter experts,
advocacy organizations, state agency personnel, and parents or
consumers who have used relevant services;
(2) report the subcommittee's determinations and
recommendations at a task force meeting at least once each year; and
(3) biennially provide a written report with
recommendations for integration into the task force report required
under Section 550A.0010 not later than the 60th day before the date
the report is scheduled for release.
Sec. 550A.0008. TASK FORCE PLAN. (a) The task force shall
develop a plan for this state to address for each issue described in
Section 550A.0007:
(1) this state's policies, services, programs, and
funding mechanisms;
(2) redundancies in, allocations of, and uses of state
resources;
(3) best practices in, trends of, and minimum
standards of care;
(4) service delivery disparities, service provision
entry points, and service provision obstacles;
(5) recommendations for policy integration among
state agencies and innovative solutions to improve care and foster
independence for residents who are provided care; and
(6) development of cost-effective, family-focused
state policies that prioritize dignity, autonomy, and unified
families and improve the care, quality, and efficiency of the
provided care and services.
(b) In developing the plan under Subsection (a), the task
force shall evaluate:
(1) outdated, redundant, ineffective, and fragmented
state agency policies;
(2) current and future state agency policies regarding
service provision and the planning and funding necessary to
implement those policies;
(3) incentives for family-focused, quality outcome
measures for provision of care and services;
(4) long-term or alternative funding sources and
sustainable care models;
(5) long-term cost-effectiveness and a cost-benefit
analysis of appropriate access to home and community-based services
and other critical programs and services to unite families and
provide care and services to individuals with a disability in the
individuals' communities; and
(6) possible alternative service delivery options.
(c) In developing the plan under Subsection (a), the task
force shall:
(1) identify the individual or state agency
responsible for implementing each task specified in the plan and
set a time for implementing each recommendation;
(2) establish benchmarks to measure the progress
toward goals and objectives specified in the plan;
(3) consult with the Legislative Budget Board to
coordinate relevant cost studies and account for long-term savings
of short-term investments for the issues specified in the plan;
(4) consult with personnel from other states to
identify best practices related to the specified issues;
(5) consult with the state demographer and relevant
federal agencies to account for future demographic trends in
addressing the specified issues;
(6) coordinate with federal and state agencies to
compile a list of opportunities to increase flexible funding for
services provided to individuals with a disability, including
alternative funding sources and service delivery options;
(7) consult with pediatric specialists and other
health care professionals to determine best medical practices for
care provided to individuals with a disability;
(8) coordinate with mental health, education, and
disability advocates;
(9) consider comments of interested persons,
including testimony from parents in each health and human services
region;
(10) consider current barriers that prevent this state
from accomplishing each recommendation described by Section
550A.0010;
(11) consider additional resource needs;
(12) consider resource redirection for more efficient
and effective service provision;
(13) propose recommendations for legislative or other
action; and
(14) compose feasibility statements on related
recommendations.
Sec. 550A.0009. COLLABORATION WITH INSTITUTION OF HIGHER
EDUCATION. To assist with developing the plan under Section
550A.0008 and to leverage data-focused approaches and research in
informing task force recommendations, the task force shall
collaborate with:
(1) at least one institution of higher education in
this state engaged in research relevant to the task force's duties
described by Section 550A.0008; and
(2) health-related institutions of higher education
in this state.
Sec. 550A.0010. RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS. (a) The plan
created under Section 550A.0008 must provide recommendations for
the provision of disability services to:
(1) maximize the use of federal funds available to
this state for the duties described by Section 550A.0008;
(2) reduce the number of families who experience
crisis due to insufficient and ineffective interventions or
services or lack of coordination and planning of interventions or
services;
(3) improve families' ability to navigate this state's
system of services through improved coordination between service
providers and increased outreach;
(4) remove barriers to local coordination of services
and supports;
(5) improve outcomes and family supports;
(6) improve early detection and intervention
services;
(7) increase the number of community-based options for
individuals with disabilities;
(8) improve accountability for each state agency
represented on the task force and other service providers;
(9) reduce existing fragmentation of service delivery
to reflect best practices and eliminate ineffective interventions;
(10) evaluate the feasibility of a third-party care
coordinator for a legally authorized representative program to
provide support services for individuals with disabilities;
(11) reduce service disparities and redundancies;
(12) improve data management;
(13) prevent unnecessary parental relinquishment of
custody;
(14) create a core set of quality measures to
determine quality of care and improvements to quality of life; and
(15) improve availability of superior community-based
acute and long-term care services and supports.
(b) Not later than September 1, 2026, the task force shall
submit a preliminary report to the governor, lieutenant governor,
speaker of the house of representatives, and appropriate standing
committees of each house of the legislature. The preliminary
report must outline initial determinations, recommendations, and
priority areas for action and provide a plan for future
legislation, policy changes, and implementation. The preliminary
report must be published on the Internet website of each state
agency represented on the task force.
(c) Not later than September 1, 2028, the task force shall
submit a final report, including a comprehensive disability policy
plan and strategic recommendations to the governor, lieutenant
governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and appropriate
standing committees of each house of the legislature. The final
report must include:
(1) a review and analysis of current state agency
programs, policies, procedures, and resource allocations related
to the issues studied by the task force;
(2) identification of service delivery disparities,
entry points to the state's system for service provision, and
service obstacles;
(3) recommendations for innovative, cost-effective
state policies and priority action areas;
(4) strategies to incentivize family-focused quality
outcomes;
(5) metrics for evaluating state policy
implementation and effectiveness;
(6) a review of alternative funding sources and
service delivery models for the state's system; and
(7) a plan and proposed time for state policy changes
and implementation.
Sec. 550A.0011. FUNDING. The task force may accept gifts,
grants, and donations to accomplish the purposes of the task force.
Sec. 550A.0012. EXPIRATION. This chapter expires and the
task force is abolished September 1, 2028.
SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective
date of this Act, the appointing authorities shall appoint the
members of the task force on disability policy established by
Section 550A.0002, Government Code, as added by this Act.
(b) Not later than September 30, 2025, the task force on
disability policy established by Section 550A.0002, Government
Code, as added by this Act, shall hold its initial meeting.
(c) Not later than September 1, 2028, the task force on
disability policy shall submit the plan required under Section
550A.0008, Government Code, as added by this Act, and the final
report required under Section 550A.0010, Government Code, as added
by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.