By Clemons H.B. No. 1971 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to claims against non-profit hospital corporations having 1-3 a patient mix of fifty percent (50%) or more persons who are 1-4 eligible for Medicare, Medicaid, charity care, and/or are indigent 1-5 at the time an incident is alleged to have occurred and for which 1-6 non-profit hospital corporation bonds are issued under the Health 1-7 Facilities Development Act. 1-8 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-9 SECTION 1. The Health Facilities Development Act (Chapter 1-10 221, Health and Safety Code, Vernon's Texas Codes) is amended by 1-11 adding Section 221.069 to read as follows: 1-12 Sec. 221.069. (a) Each non-profit hospital corporation that 1-13 has a patient mix of fifty percent (50%) or more persons who are 1-14 eligible for Medicare, Medicaid, charity care, and/or are indigent 1-15 at the time an incident is alleged to have occurred and for which 1-16 non-profit hospital corporation bonds or other obligations are or 1-17 have been issued by a development corporation, are declared to be 1-18 and shall be treated as a governmental unit under and for the 1-19 purposes of Chapter 101, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, and the 1-20 officers and employees of each such non-profit hospital corporation 1-21 are declared to be and shall be treated as the employees of a 1-22 governmental unit for the purposes of Chapter 101, Civil Practices 1-23 and Remedies Code. 2-1 (b) This section shall apply to all claims made on or after 2-2 the effective date of this Act. 2-3 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-4 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-5 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-6 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-7 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-8 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-9 passage, and it is so enacted.