Statutorily refocus mission of Sunset Commission

Sharon Laffs, 11 years ago

I agree the focus needs to be sharpened in order to surgically remove the systems which are weak and ineffective. My concern, however, is that care must be taken not to entrench, too many areas under a too large system that has too many tentacles to have the oversight needed to keep it in check. For one example, DHHS has so many fingers in such a wide variety of areas, that when you try to research or ask questions, it is too easy to keep getting passed off to another source. Eventually, even if your concern was valid, a person gives up without obtaining the answers to valid questions. One claims there is no policy regarding electronic cigarettes, for example, then the next says this is not their policy either. However, clearly it is someone’s policy, as a ban is in place, yet no legal basis for the ban has yet been found nor claimed. So how then does a private citizen demand answers from TX DADs, if the local State Supported Living Center refuses to discuss it? This is confusing and difficult for the average citizen to navigate!