HBA-TBM H.B. 857 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 857
By: Dutton
County Affairs
4/1/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

While there is no comprehensive report of the numbers of homeless persons
in Texas, homelessness is a pressing concern.  Under the Stewart B.
McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, the federal government provides matching
funds to state and local governments that establish programs to help
homeless people return to a fully-productive and self-sufficient life.
House Bill 857 authorizes the creation of homeless commissions in counties
and provides for the funding of projects to alleviate homelessness.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 857 amends the Human Resources and the Local Government codes to
authorize the commissioners court of a county to create a commission for
the homeless to recommend and establish programs to prevent and alleviate
homelessness in the county.  The bill sets forth provisions for the
composition, administration, powers and duties of the commission.  The bill
authorizes the commissioners court to require the county clerk to charge
and collect $1 for the filing of the first page of a real property record
to be used only to implement programs approved by the commissioners court.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.