By: Jetton, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Kolkhorst) H.B. No. 1898

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 18, 2023; April 19, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Health & Human Services; May 21, 2023, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 1; May 21, 2023, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 1898 By: Hancock

COMMITTEE VOTE

YeaNayAbsentPNV

KolkhorstX

PerryX

BlancoX

HallX

HancockX

HughesX

LaMantiaX

MilesX

SparksX

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a grant program to fund the provision by children's hospitals of mental and behavioral health services to children in this state.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 531.09936 to read as follows:

Sec. 531.09936. GRANT PROGRAM TO FUND MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES BY CERTAIN CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS. (a) In this section:

(1) "Children's hospital" means a hospital designated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as a children's hospital that is exempted by that federal agency from payment under the inpatient prospective payment system under Medicare.

(2) "Grant program" means the grant program established under Subsection (b).

(b) If and to the extent money is specifically appropriated to the commission for that purpose, the commission shall establish a grant program under which the commission provides grants to children's hospitals that the hospitals may, except as provided by Subsection (e), use to directly provide mental and behavioral health services to children in this state.

(c) A children's hospital may apply for a grant under the grant program in the form and manner prescribed by the commission.

(d) A grant recipient may not use a grant awarded under the grant program to:

(1) reimburse an expense or pay a cost that a health benefit plan or other source, including Medicaid, is obligated to reimburse or pay by law or contract; or

(2) provide mental health services, including treatments or procedures, to a child that affirm the child's perception of the child's sex if that perception is inconsistent with the child's biological sex.

(e) The commission shall monitor and evaluate the use of money awarded under the grant program to ensure compliance with this section.

(f) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, the commission shall submit a biennial report to the legislature on the performance of the grant program during the preceding two state fiscal years. The report must include the name of each grant recipient awarded a grant under the program and the amount of the recipient's award during the fiscal years covered by the report.

(g) This section expires September 1, 2027.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

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