By: Seliger	S.B. No. 1928
	(In the Senate - Filed March 13, 2015; March 25, 2015, read
	first time and referred to Subcommittee on Border Security; April
	21, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable committee substitute
	to Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations;
	April 23, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
	Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; April 23, 2015,
	sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1928	By:  Lucio

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the rulemaking authority of the Health and Human
	Services Commission to provide for the placement of refugees in
	this state.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 531.041, Government Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	Sec. 531.041.  GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. (a)  The
	commission has all the powers and duties necessary to administer
	this chapter.
	(b)  The executive commissioner shall adopt rules for
	gathering and considering community input on the local refugee
	placement reporting requirements for the United States refugee
	resettlement program.
	(1)  The rules must, at a minimum, require the local
	volunteer agencies to take the following actions:
	(a)  convene and conduct quarterly refugee
	placement consultations with state and local government and
	community stakeholders regarding proposed refugee placement;
	(b)  obtain feedback on the proposed refugee
	placement from community stakeholders including but not limited to
	city, county, and state officials; local health care systems; local
	school districts; and local law enforcement agencies; and major
	employers of refugees;
	(c)  consider all feedback obtained prior to
	releasing the annual proposed refugee placement report for the
	United States Department of State's Reception and Placement (R&P)
	program;
	(d)  develop a final refugee placement report for
	the national voluntary agencies and Health and Human Services
	Commission and include a summary of how stakeholder input
	contributed to the final request; and
	(e)  inform all community stakeholders, as
	described in Subsection (b), of the annual proposed refugee
	placement report.
	SECTION 2.  Not later than May 1, 2016, the Health and Human
	Services executive Commissioner shall adopt the rules as provided
	by Section 531.041(b), 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.
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