S.B. No. 1928
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to ensuring local governmental and community input in any
  federal refugee resettlement program established in this state.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 531.0411 to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.0411.  RULES REGARDING REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT.
  (a)  In this section, "local resettlement agency" and "national
  voluntary agency" have the meanings assigned by 45 C.F.R. Section
  400.2.
         (b)  The executive commissioner shall adopt rules to ensure
  that local governmental and community input is included in any
  refugee placement report required under a federal refugee
  resettlement program and that governmental entities and officials
  are provided with related information. In adopting rules under
  this section, the executive commissioner shall, to the extent
  permitted under federal law, ensure that:
               (1)  meetings are convened, at least quarterly, in the
  communities proposed for refugee placement at which
  representatives of local resettlement agencies have an opportunity
  to consult with and obtain feedback from local governmental
  entities and officials, including municipal and county officials,
  local school district officials, and representatives of local law
  enforcement agencies, and from other community stakeholders,
  including major providers under the local health care system and
  major employers of refugees, regarding proposed refugee placement;
               (2)  a local resettlement agency:
                     (A)  considers all feedback obtained in meetings
  conducted under Subdivision (1) before preparing a proposed annual
  report on the placement of refugees for purposes of 8 U.S.C. Section
  1522(b)(7)(E);
                     (B)  informs the state and local governmental
  entities and officials and community stakeholders described under
  Subdivision (1) of the proposed annual report; and
                     (C)  develops a final annual report for the
  national voluntary agencies and the commission that includes a
  summary regarding how stakeholder input contributed to the report;
  and
               (3)  the commission:
                     (A)  obtains from local resettlement agencies the
  preliminary number of refugees the local resettlement agencies
  recommended to the national voluntary agencies for placement in
  communities throughout this state and provides that information to
  local governmental entities and officials in those communities; and 
                     (B)  obtains from the United States Department of
  State or other appropriate federal agency the number of refugees
  apportioned to this state and provides that information and
  information regarding the number of refugees intended to be placed
  in each community in this state to local governmental entities and
  officials in those communities.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than May 1, 2016, the executive
  commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall
  adopt the rules required under Section 531.0411, Government Code,
  as added by this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1928 passed the Senate on
  May 5, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that the
  Senate concurred in House amendment on May 30, 2015, by the
  following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1928 passed the House, with
  amendment, on May 27, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 143,
  Nays 1, two present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor