HBA-MPM S.B. 558 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 558 By: Madla Public Health 4/23/2001 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (TCADA) estimates the costs of drug and alcohol abuse in Texas to be $19.3 billion each year. For the fiscal year 2000, Texas devoted almost $800 million to substance abuse prevention, intervention, treatment, and related law enforcement. While several state agencies currently address drug and alcohol-related activities, Texas is in need of a better way to coordinate substance abuse programs that could bring opportunities for cost savings and information sharing. Senate Bill 558 establishes the Drug Demand Reduction Advisory Committee (committee) as a single source of information related to reducing drug demand, and requires the committee to develop a statewide strategy to reduce drug reducing demand. 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 Senate Bill 558 amends the Health and Safety Code to establish the Drug Demand Reduction Advisory Committee (committee) to serve as a single source of information for the governor, the legislature, and the public about issues relating to reducing drug demand, including available prevention programs and services. The bill sets forth provisions regarding the committee's administration, membership, and duties. The bill sets forth the composition of the committee and requires a representative of the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (TCADA) to serve as the presiding officer of the committee. The bill requires the committee to develop a statewide strategy to reduce drug demand that: _incorporates multidisciplinary approaches using current empirical research; _includes performance-based measurement and accountability standards, short-term objectives, and 10-year targets for reducing drug demand; _coordinates to the extent possible the efforts of private sector entities and local, state, and federal agencies including the Office of National Drug Control Policy to reduce drug demand; and _provides opportunities for representatives from the public and private sectors to comment on the committee's activities and make recommendations related to the strategy. The bill requires the committee to identify lead or contributing agencies or offices that are required to implement the strategy, and requires the committee to coordinate the implementation process. The committee is authorized to establish additional advisory committees composed of representatives from governmental entities and the private sector to assist the committee. No later than January 15th of each odd-numbered year, the committee is required to present to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives a report that states the committee's progress in developing and coordinating the strategy, the status and funding of state programs relating to reducing drug demand, and recommendations for legislation that addresses the issues involved in reducing drug demand. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.