Sec. 92.053. MEMBERSHIP

(a) The council must be composed in accordance with federal law. Appointments to the council shall be made without regard to:

(1) the race, color, sex, religion, age, or national origin of the appointees; or

(2) the disability of the appointees, except as required by federal law.

(b) The council is composed of 22 members appointed as follows:

(1) eight public consumer members appointed by the commissioner of health and human services, at least three of whom must be individuals related to persons with a traumatic brain injury and at least three of whom must be persons with a brain injury;

(2) six professional members appointed by the commissioner of health and human services, each of whom must have special training and interest in the care, treatment, or rehabilitation of persons with a traumatic brain injury, with one representative each from:

(A) acute hospital trauma units;

(B) the National Institute for Disability Rehabilitation Research Traumatic Brain Injury Model System in this state;

(C) acute or post-acute rehabilitation facilities;

(D) community-based services;

(E) faculties of institutions of higher education; and

(F) providers in the areas of physical therapy, occupational therapy, or cognitive rehabilitation; and

(3) eight state agency members, with one representative from each of the following agencies appointed by the chief executive officer of the agency:

(A) Texas Department of Health;

(B) Texas Department of Human Services;

(C) Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation;

(D) Texas Rehabilitation Commission;

(E) Health and Human Services Commission;

(F) Texas Education Agency;

(G) Texas Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities; and

(H) Texas Department of Insurance.

(c) One of the six public consumer members appointed under Subsection (b)(1) must be a member of a statewide traumatic brain injury support group.

Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1088, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.