HBA-JEK H.B. 3450 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3450
By: Gallego
Urban Affairs
3/26/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Texas Interagency Council for the Homeless (council) was created in
1989 to coordinate the state's resources and services for the homeless, and
consists of representatives from state agencies that serve the homeless.
The council receives no state funding and does not have a full-time staff,
but receives clerical and advisory support from the Texas Department of
Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA).  The council is subject to the
Sunset Act and will be abolished on September 1, 2001 unless continued by
the legislature.  House Bill 3450 implements the recommendations of the
Sunset Advisory Commission. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 3450 amends the Government Code to establish the Texas
Interagency Council for the Homeless (council) as an advisory committee to
the Texas Department of Housing and Community Development.  The bill
charges the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) with
serving as the lead agency for addressing the problem of homelessness and
coordinating interagency efforts regarding homelessness at the state level. 

Advisory Committee Status and Duties

H.B. 3450 provides that the council serves as an advisory committee to
TDHCA and defines the council's advisory role and duties.  The bill repeals
the provision that subjects the council to the Sunset Act.  The bill
requires the council to ensure that local or statewide nonprofit
organizations carry out duties required of the council that the council
cannot perform itself, and removes the requirement that the council develop
a strategic plan to address the needs of the homeless in cooperation with
TDHCA and the Health and Human Services Commission.  The bill authorizes
the council to hold public hearings on homelessness issues, and requires
TDHCA to provide notice of these hearings in the Texas Register and other
appropriate sources. 

Membership and Member Agency Duties

H.B. 3450 provides that council members must have administrative
responsibility for programs for the homeless or related services provided
by the member's agency and, subject to the approval of the administrative
head of a member's agency, the authority to make decisions and commit
resources of the agencies they represent.  The bill requires each agency
represented on the council to contribute resources to the council and
report to TDHCA a standard set of performance data, as determined by TDHCA,
on the agency's outcomes related to homelessness.  The bill removes the
Texas Department of Economic Development from the council's membership. 



 EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.