(a) The State Policy Committee (SPC), with the assistance
of any applicable Local Employee Committee (LEC) appointed by the
SPC, shall review applications submitted by local federations/funds,
affiliated organizations, and other charitable organizations, and
may approve an applicant for participation in a local campaign area
only if the organization:
(1) meets the definition of a "local charitable
organization" as that term is defined in Government Code, §659.131;
and
(2) is either:
(A) an unaffiliated local organization; or
(B) a federation or fund or an affiliate of a federation
or fund that is not approved for statewide participation.
(b) The SPC or LEC, as applicable, shall determine
the eligibility of a charitable organization for local participation
in the state employee charitable campaign (SECC). In making this determination,
the SPC or LEC shall consider whether the applicant:
(1) has timely submitted all required application materials;
(2) satisfies applicable eligibility criteria set forth
under Chapter 330 of this title; and
(3) satisfies other legal and regulatory requirements
prescribed by law.
(c) Health and Human Services. The SPC and the LEC
construe the statutory definition of "health and human services"
and apply that definition to determine the eligibility of a charitable
organization to participate in the SECC campaign. The term "health
and human services" is construed and applied in accordance with
the structure and guidelines set forth in this paragraph. To qualify
as "health and human services" the services provided must
benefit the residents of this state and must consist of one or more
of the following:
(1) human care, which term includes health care, rehabilitation,
restorative care, hospice care, respite care, and assistance with
activities of daily living, and which includes physical, mental, and
emotional assistance;
(2) medical research or other research. The research
must be in one or more of the following fields:
(A) human health, which term includes physical, mental,
and emotional wellbeing, and which includes various topics related
to human health including, nutrition, wellness, exercise, disease,
disorders, treatment, prevention of disease, and maintenance of health;
(B) education, which term includes special education,
pedagogy, assessments, promotion of literacy, and assessment for and
treatment of learning disabilities;
(C) social adjustment, which term includes an individual’s
ability to cope with standards, values, and needs of society and to
adapt to a social environment; or
(D) rehabilitation, which term includes restorative
care and follow-up care in nursing homes, halfway houses, inpatient
facilities and patients’ homes;
(3) relief for victims of natural disaster or other
emergencies. Other emergencies refers to events and situations such
as drought, fire, accidents, or epidemics, that may have an impact
on the health, safety, or welfare of the general population or a specific
segment of the population; or
(4) assistance to impoverished individuals in need
of food, shelter, clothing, or other basic needs. Basic needs may
include such things as education-related services and goods for pre-K
through 12th grade, special education services for people with disabilities,
and adult literacy.
(d) For purposes of the 25-word description, each part
of a hyphenated term will count as a separate word. Applications that
contain a description of more than 25 words will be denied approval
by the LEC or the SPC, as applicable.
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