HBA-DMH C.S.S.B. 834 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.S.B. 834
By: Moncrief
Human Services
4/10/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The 75th Legislature authorized the establishment of an Internet site to
provide the public with information on available health and human services
throughout Texas.  The individual health and human services agencies have
each established separate sites.  With cooperation from the agencies, the
information could be coordinated and improved.  C.S.S.B. 834 requires the
Health and Human Services Commission in cooperation with the Department of
Information Resources to establish and maintain, through the TexasOnline
project, an accessible and interactive Internet site that contains
information on each health and human services agency. 

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

C.S.S.B. 834 amends the Government Code to require the Health and Human
Services Commission (HHSC), in cooperation with the Department of
Information Resources (department), to establish as soon as practicable
after the effective date of this Act and to maintain through the
TexasOnline project, a generally accessible and interactive Internet site
that contains information for the public regarding services and programs
provided or administered by each state health and human services agency
(agency).  The bill sets forth the information that must be included on the
site, including eligibility criteria and application forms for public
assistance programs.  The bill provides that the site must contain the
telephone number and, to the extent available, the electronic mail address
for each agency and local provider of health and human services and be
designed so that the public may submit questions and receive responses
electronically.  The site must be updated at least quarterly.  The bill
requires HHSC, in designing the site, to comply with any state standards
for Internet sites prescribed by the department or any other state agency.
The bill requires HHSC to ensure that the site does not contain
confidential information and that the site's design and applications comply
with generally acceptable standards for Internet accessibility for persons
with disabilities and contain appropriate controls for information
security.  The bill requires an agency, the Texas Information and Referral
Network, and the department to cooperate with HHSC to enable HHSC to
perform its duties regarding the site.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.S.B. 834 differs from the original bill by providing that  the Internet
site must include application forms for specified public assistance
programs.  The substitute requires the Health and Human Services Commission
to ensure that the site does not contain confidential information and that
the site's design and applications meet acceptable standards for the
accommodation of  persons with disabilities.  The substitute  removes the
provision that if the Department of Information Resources (department) has
a program management office, the department is authorized to delegate its
duties in relation to the Internet site to that office.  The substitute
requires the Texas information and Referral Network to coordinate with the
department to maintain the Internet site for information regarding health
and human services provided by public and private entities through the
TexasOnline project.