By Nelson, Zaffirini, Moncrief                         S.B. No. 604
       74R3825 CLG-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to a pilot program for the establishment of medical
    1-3  savings accounts to assist Medicaid recipients.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  PILOT PROGRAM.  (a)  Not later than December 1,
    1-6  1995, the Health and Human Services Commission shall develop a
    1-7  pilot program that uses Medicaid funds to establish medical savings
    1-8  accounts for recipients of medical assistance under the state
    1-9  Medicaid program.
   1-10        (b)  The commission shall implement the pilot program not
   1-11  later than January 1, 1997.
   1-12        SECTION 2.  REPORT.  Not later than January 15, 1999, the
   1-13  Health and Human Services Commission shall submit to the governor
   1-14  and the 76th Legislature a report concerning the effectiveness of
   1-15  the pilot program.
   1-16        SECTION 3.  WAIVERS.  If before implementing Section 1 of
   1-17  this Act, the Health and Human Services Commission determines that
   1-18  a waiver or authorization from a federal agency is necessary for
   1-19  implementation, the commission shall request the waiver or
   1-20  authorization and may delay implementing those provisions until the
   1-21  waiver or authorization is granted.
   1-22        SECTION 4.  EXPIRATION DATE.  This Act expires September 1,
   1-23  1999.
   1-24        SECTION 5.  EMERGENCY.  The importance of this legislation
    2-1  and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-2  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-3  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-4  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-5  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-6  passage, and it is so enacted.