Relating to improvements to the Texas Information and Referral Network.

89(R) HB 38 - Engrossed version - Bill Text

89R18488 SCF-D

By: Bucy, Frank, Capriglione, Pierson

H.B. No. 38

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to improvements to the Texas Information and Referral

Network.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 526.0004, Government Code, as effective

April 1, 2025, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding

Subsections (f), (g), and (h) to read as follows:

(a) The Texas Information and Referral Network is

responsible for developing, coordinating, and implementing a

statewide information and referral network that integrates

existing community-based structures with state and local agencies.

The network must:

(1) include information relating to transportation

services provided to clients of state and local agencies;

(2) be capable of assisting with statewide disaster

preparedness,
response
,
and emergency management, including

through the use of
memoranda of understanding with state and local

agencies and
interstate agreements with out-of-state call centers

to ensure preparedness and responsiveness;

(3) include technology capable of communicating with

clients of state and local agencies using
one-way and two-way

electronic text messaging
to:

(A)

enhance client access to information and

referral services;

(B) decrease client wait times;

(C) improve customer service; and

(D)

disseminate information to clients in a

timely manner, including during a state of disaster
; [
and
]

(4) include a publicly accessible Internet-based

system to provide real-time, searchable data about [
the location

and number of
] clients of state and local agencies using the system
,

including:

(A) the number of clients;

(B) the location of clients;

(C)
[
and
] the types of requests the clients made
;

and

(D)

aggregated, de-identified demographic

information regarding the clients and client households served by

the network, including, if the information is volunteered by the

clients after the clients have been given an opportunity to provide

informed and explicit consent:

(i)

the gender, race, and ethnicity of each

client; and

(ii)

whether the client or a member of the

client's household is:

(a) a veteran;

(b)

involved in the criminal justice

system;

(c) pregnant;

(d)

the caregiver to a child who is

five years of age or younger;

(e)

a kinship caregiver providing

care to a child and whether the child is in the custody of the

Department of Family and Protective Services;

(f)

enrolled in an institution of

higher education, as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code;

(g) 65 years of age or older; or

(h)

a caregiver providing care to an

individual who is 65 years of age or older;

(5)

use a standardized screening tool to identify the

nonmedical drivers of health for all clients who provide informed

and explicit consent to be screened using the screening tool;

(6)

provide enhanced navigation services under a level

of care three (LOC-3) as prescribed by the commission's Texas

Resilience and Recovery Utilization Management Guidelines in order

to:

(A) better address complex client needs; and

(B) collaborate with community partners;

(7)

be capable of providing closed-loop referrals to

support clients and track referral outcomes;

(8)

exchange resource data with external partners,

including vendors, through data sharing agreements for the purposes

of:

(A) connecting clients to a requested service;

(B) addressing nonmedical drivers of health; and

(C)

decreasing redundancies in the health and

human services system;

(9)

comply with all applicable state and federal laws

relating to protecting the privacy of each client's health and

personal information, including the Health Insurance Portability

and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. Section 1320d et seq.);

(10)

include call centers that operate 24 hours a day,

seven days a week; and

(11)

be capable of providing backup information and

referrals during a statewide disaster or system malfunction
.

(f)

To enhance the network's capacity and responsiveness in

disaster preparation, response, and recovery, the commission shall

coordinate with the Homeland Security Council and the Texas

Division of Emergency Management to integrate the network into this

state's homeland security strategic plan and the state emergency

management plan.

(g)

Health care systems and managed care organizations may

partner and enter into agreements with the commission and area

information centers to share data using the network to:

(1) facilitate client care coordination; and

(2)

address nonmedical drivers of health, including

housing, transportation, food, and financial assistance programs.

(h)

Not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year,

the commission shall:

(1)

prepare and submit a report to the governor, the

lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of

representatives that:

(A)

summarizes the network's operations,

including the effectiveness of the network and any improvements

made to the network, during the preceding two state fiscal years;

(B)

identifies existing needs and gaps in

services in communities in this state that could be addressed

through additional improvements to the network;

(C)

provides recommendations for improving the

network, including recommendations for improving data privacy and

client experience; and

(D)

describes the commission's efforts under

this section to collaborate and coordinate with other state and

local agencies and entities, including the commission's efforts to:

(i)

integrate the network into relevant

plans and programs administered by state and local agencies; and

(ii)

exchange resource data with relevant

entities; and

(2) make the report publicly available on:

(A) the commission's Internet website; and

(B)

the network Internet website established

under Section 526.0005.

SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 526, Government Code, as

effective April 1, 2025, is amended by adding Section 526.00041 to

read as follows:

Sec.

526.00041.

AREA INFORMATION CENTERS:

ACCREDITATION

REQUIRED. An area information center that contracts with the

commission to provide network operations must be accredited by a

nationally recognized accreditation organization.

SECTION 3. Sections 526.0005(a) and (b), Government Code,

as effective April 1, 2025, are amended to read as follows:

(a) The network may develop an Internet website to provide

information to the public regarding the health and human services

provided by public or private entities throughout this state.
An

Internet website developed under this section must be user-friendly

and regularly updated to ensure that the website's interface

supports the navigation needs of the website's users.

(b) The material on the network Internet website must be:

(1) geographically indexed, including by type of

service provided within each geographic area; [
and
]

(2) designed to inform an individual about the health

and human services provided in the area in which the individual

lives
; and

(3)

organized in such a way that the public can search

and navigate through the website with ease
.

SECTION 4. If before implementing any provision of this Act

a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a

federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,

the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or

authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the

waiver or authorization is granted.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.