Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB399 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R4614 JAM-F
2	2	By: Sparks S.B. No. 399
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to a biennial audit of the effectiveness and efficiencies
10	10	of state services provided to homeless individuals.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Chapter 321, Government Code, is amended by
13	13	adding Section 321.0139 to read as follows:
14	14	Sec. 321.0139. AUDIT OF HOMELESSNESS SERVICES. (a) In each
15	15	even-numbered year, the State Auditor shall require an audit to be
16	16	conducted regarding the effectiveness and efficiency of all
17	17	homelessness services that are provided by the state agencies
18	18	identified under Subsections (e) and (f).
19	19	(a-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), 2028 is the first
20	20	year that an audit is required to be conducted under this section.
21	21	This subsection expires January 1, 2029.
22	22	(b) Not later than March 1 of the year in which an audit is
23	23	required under this section, the State Auditor shall engage an
24	24	independent external auditor to conduct the audit. The external
25	25	auditor may not be under the direction of any agency subject to the
26	26	audit under this section.
27	27	(c) The State Auditor shall supervise the external auditor
28	28	to ensure that the audit is conducted in accordance with the
29	29	requirements of this section.
30	30	(d) The audit shall:
31	31	(1) examine all state resources used in providing
32	32	services to homeless individuals, including financial resources,
33	33	employees, and infrastructure;
34	34	(2) according to the purposes of and activities funded
35	35	by the agencies identified under Subsections (e) and (f), their
36	36	programs, and participating community service providers, assess
37	37	the effectiveness and efficiency of the agencies, programs, and
38	38	providers in helping homeless individuals advance toward
39	39	self-sufficiency, including an assessment of the percentage of
40	40	beneficiaries:
41	41	(A) who maintain housing for at least 12 months
42	42	after placement in the housing, disaggregated according to the
43	43	primary payor for the housing and including payors other than the
44	44	beneficiary;
45	45	(B) whose children are enrolled in school or
46	46	other educational programs;
47	47	(C) if eligible, who:
48	48	(i) participate in at least 20 hours per
49	49	week of paid employment, including paid apprenticeships;
50	50	(ii) are engaged in occupational or
51	51	vocational training programs; and
52	52	(iii) earn a living wage, as defined by the
53	53	applicable local workforce development board;
54	54	(D) who are ineligible to participate in at least
55	55	20 hours per week of paid employment described by Paragraph (C)(i),
56	56	disaggregated by the reason for ineligibility;
57	57	(E) with mental health needs, who engage in
58	58	ongoing mental health care services;
59	59	(F) with addiction or substance use disorders,
60	60	who engage in ongoing treatment services;
61	61	(G) with a history of involvement with the
62	62	criminal justice system that continued during the 12-month period
63	63	following the provision of the applicable services; and
64	64	(H) with a history of involvement with the
65	65	criminal justice system that ceased during the 12-month period
66	66	following the provision of the applicable services;
67	67	(3) make recommendations for:
68	68	(A) eliminating poorly performing programs,
69	69	services, and functions;
70	70	(B) ending contractual or funding relationships
71	71	with poorly performing community service providers;
72	72	(C) consolidating duplicative or overlapping
73	73	programs, services, and functions; and
74	74	(D) reallocating state resources to ensure that
75	75	the outcomes in relation to the criteria described by Subdivision
76	76	(2) are achieved in the most effective and economical manner; and
77	77	(4) based on the effectiveness at achieving the
78	78	outcomes described by Subdivision (2), rate each applicable agency,
79	79	program, or community service provider as "unsatisfactory,"
80	80	"satisfactory," or "exemplary."
81	81	(e) The following agencies must be included in the audit:
82	82	(1) the Texas Department of Housing and Community
83	83	Affairs;
84	84	(2) the Health and Human Services Commission;
85	85	(3) the Department of Family and Protective Services;
86	86	(4) the Texas Education Agency;
87	87	(5) the Texas Workforce Commission;
88	88	(6) the Texas Veterans Commission; and
89	89	(7) the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
90	90	(f) In addition to the agencies listed in Subsection (e),
91	91	the State Auditor may select other state agencies for inclusion in
92	92	the audit.
93	93	(g) The external auditor must:
94	94	(1) complete the audit not later than the 90th day
95	95	after the date the auditor is engaged; and
96	96	(2) present its results and recommendations to the
97	97	State Auditor and the heads of the agencies subject to the audit.
98	98	(h) Not later than November 1 of the year in which an audit
99	99	is completed under this section, the State Auditor shall prepare
100	100	and submit to the governor, the speaker of the house of
101	101	representatives, the lieutenant governor, and the Legislative
102	102	Budget Board a report regarding the audit and recommendations for
103	103	improvement in the agencies, programs, and community service
104	104	providers assessed by the State Auditor.
105	105	(i) The full audit and State Auditor's report must be
106	106	published on the State Auditor's Internet website.
107	107	(j) The audit shall be paid for by using existing resources
108	108	allocated for the purpose of auditing the agencies identified under
109	109	Subsections (e) and (f).
110	110	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.