By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 455     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the operations of the Employment-First Task Force.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Sections 531.02448(b), (f), (g), and (j),   Government Code, are amended to read as follows:          (b)  If the executive commissioner establishes a task force   for the purposes described by Subsection (a), the executive   commissioner shall determine the number of members on the task   force.  The executive commissioner shall appoint at least the   following as members, subject to Subsection (e):                (1)  an individual with a disability;                (2)  a family member of an individual with a   disability;                (3)  three representatives [a representative] of the   commission, one of whom represents the commission's behavioral   health services functions and one of whom represents the   commission's aging and disability services functions;                (4)  [a representative of the Department of Assistive   and Rehabilitative Services;                [(5)     a representative of the Department of State   Health Services;                [(6)     a representative of the Department of Aging and   Disability Services;                [(7)]  a representative of the Department of Family and   Protective Services;                (5)  two representatives [(8)  a representative] of   the Texas Workforce Commission, one of whom represents the Texas   Workforce Commission's assistive and rehabilitative services   functions;                (6) [(9)]  a representative of the Texas Education   Agency;                (7) [(10)]  an advocate for individuals with   disabilities;                (8) [(11)]  a representative of a provider of   integrated and competitive employment services; and                (9) [(12)]  an employer or a representative of an   employer in an industry in which individuals with disabilities   might be employed.          (f)  A task force established under this section or an   existing committee or task force used for purposes of this section   shall:                (1)  design an education and outreach process targeted   at working-age individuals with disabilities, including young   adults with disabilities, the families of those individuals, the   state agencies listed in Subsection (b), and service providers,   that is aimed at raising expectations of the success of individuals   with disabilities in integrated, individualized, and competitive   employment;                (2)  develop recommendations for policy, procedure,   and rules changes that are necessary to allow the employment-first   policy described under Section 531.02447(b) to be fully implemented   and to provide guidance and assistance to a state agency in   implementing those changes;                (2-a)  meet at least quarterly and at other times at the   call of the presiding officer; and                (3)  not later than September 1 of each even-numbered   year, prepare and submit to the office of the governor, the   legislature, and the executive commissioner a report regarding the   task force's findings and recommendations, including:                      (A)  information that reflects the potential and   actual impact of the employment-first policy on the employment   outcomes for individuals with disabilities; and                      (B)  recommendations for improvement of   employment services and outcomes, including employment rates, for   individuals with disabilities based on the reported impact of an   employment-first policy under Paragraph (A) that may include:                            (i)  recommendations relating to using any   savings to the state resulting from the implementation of the   employment-first policy to further improve the services and   outcomes; and                            (ii)  recommendations developed under   Subdivision (2) regarding necessary policy, procedure, and rules   changes.          (g)  A member of a task force established under this section   is not entitled to compensation.  Members may be reimbursed for   expenses as follows:                (1)  a member described by Subsection (b)(1) or (2) is   entitled to reimbursement for travel and other necessary expenses   as provided in the General Appropriations Act;                (2)  a member appointed as a representative of a state   agency is eligible for reimbursement for travel and other necessary   expenses according to the applicable agency's policies; and                (3)  a member described by Subsection (b)(7) [(b)(10)],   (8) [(11)], or (9) [(12)] is entitled to reimbursement for travel   and other necessary expenses to be paid equally out of available   money appropriated to the commission and to health and human   services agencies.          (j)  A task force established under this section is abolished   and this [This] section expires September 1, 2021 [2017].          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect August 31, 2017.