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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study of seniors with a visual impairment by the Aging |
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Texas Well Advisory Committee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) In this section, "advisory committee" means |
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the Aging Texas Well Advisory Committee. |
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(b) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall direct the advisory committee to assist |
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the commission to: |
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(1) determine the appropriate level of independent |
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living services for the growing number of seniors in the state with |
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visual impairment; and |
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(2) make recommendations on the provision of services |
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to seniors described by Subdivision (1). |
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(c) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, or any |
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other law, in implementing its duties under this Act, the advisory |
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committee may meet by telephone conference call, videoconference, |
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or other similar telecommunication method. A meeting held by |
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telephone conference call, videoconference, or other similar |
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telecommunication method is subject to the requirements of Sections |
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551.125(c), (d), (e), and (f), Government Code. |
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(d) The advisory committee shall conduct a study to |
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determine the projected growth and geographic distribution of |
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seniors with a visual impairment in the next 5 to 10 years and |
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methods for improving and expanding services, including |
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independent living services, to those seniors. The study must: |
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(1) identify the barriers to expanding health care |
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services to seniors with a visual impairment; |
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(2) include methods for expanding coordination |
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efforts with and involvement by public and private entities; |
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(3) recommend a training curriculum for state agency |
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personnel who provide direct intervention and independent living |
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services to seniors with a visual impairment; |
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(4) identify and recommend a strategy to increase the |
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number of state agency personnel who provide direct intervention |
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and independent living services to seniors with a visual |
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impairment; and |
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(5) determine potential public and private |
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collaborators that provide services to seniors with a visual |
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impairment, including: |
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(A) assessing the current level of |
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collaboration; |
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(B) identifying the barriers preventing a |
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greater level of collaboration than the current level of |
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collaboration; |
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(C) identifying the methods, additional |
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incentives, and additional benefits this state may offer to |
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increase collaboration, coordination, and partnerships; |
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(D) determining the role of public and private |
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entities that provide services to persons with a visual impairment |
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who are not blind; and |
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(E) establishing methods for incentivizing |
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private entities to provide services to seniors with a visual |
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impairment. |
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(e) The advisory committee shall develop, in collaboration |
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with private entities and other organizations that assist |
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individuals with a visual impairment, methods to publicize the |
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services available to seniors with a visual impairment. The Health |
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and Human Services Commission may solicit and accept funding for |
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and contract with a private entity for implementing an advisory |
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committee recommendation under this subsection. |
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(f) The recommendations required by Subsection (b) of this |
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section must be in the form of a new initiative, an immediate |
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proposed regulatory change by a state agency, a proposed statutory |
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amendment, or a suggested funding level. |
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(g) The advisory committee shall develop and submit a |
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written report on the study, publicity methods, and recommendations |
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developed by the advisory committee to the governor, the lieutenant |
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governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and each |
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member of the legislature not later than November 1, 2018. |
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(h) This Act expires June 1, 2019. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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* * * * * |