BILL ANALYSIS



C.S.H.B. 1585
By: McDonald
03-28-95
Committee Report (Substituted)


BACKGROUND

The 72nd Legislature of Texas created the Legislative Health and
Human Services Board (the Board), and its primary function is to
oversee and review implementation of policy, including fiscal
policy, by state agencies whose duty is to deliver health and human
services. The Board has never convened, in part due to a lack of an
appointed meeting time and in part due to a lack of clearly
specified differences between the Board and the Legislative Budget
Board (the LBB).

PURPOSE

H.B. 1585 expands the Board's oversight and review functions
regarding fiscal policy, and creates a relationship between the
Board and the LBB.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly
grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer,
department, agency, or institution.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 330.001(b), Government Code, to change
the composition of the Board's membership.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 330.002, Government Code, to require the
lieutenant governor and speaker of the house to altnerately appoint
members to serve as chair and vice-chair of the board, instead of
serving those positions themselves.

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 330.004, Government Code, to require the
Board to meet within the week prior to a LBB meeting, if possible.

SECTION 4.  Amends Subsections (a) and (c) and adds Subsection (g)
to Section 330.005, Government Code, as follows:

     (a) Specifies the fiscal policy oversight and review functions
to be considered by the  Board, including line-item transfers,
Medicaid waivers, Medicaid delivery, welfare fraud,    and cross-agency programs and projects among the health and human services
agencies.

     (c) Adds a requirement that the Board make recommendations to
the LBB, in addition to  the Legislature.

     (g) Adds that the Board is required to oversee and review
efforts at the local level in the  health and human services
fields, regarding the use of and accessibility to funding, with  the goal of fostering innovation and improving access to
federal matching funds.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.
           Effective date: upon passage.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The substitute to H.B. 1585 includes new requirements for the
composition of the Legislative Health and Human Services Board
membership and the appointment of the board's chair and vice chair.
The substitute also reinstates current language requiring the board
to meet at least quarterly, and adds some flexibility to the
requirement that the board meet within seven days prior to the LBB.
Finally, the substitute is modified, in Section 4, to include the
coordination of delivery of services to children and families under
Chapter 72, Human Resources Code, in the oversight and review
functions of the Legislative Health and Human Services Board.


SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

H.B. 1585 was considered by the committee in a public hearing on March 28, 1995. A complete
substitute was considered. The substitute was adopted without objection.

The following person testified in favor of the bill:
Jack C. Vowell, representing self.

The bill was reported favorably as substituted, with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed, by a record vote of 8 Ayes, 0 Nays, 0 PNV, and 1 Absent.