1-1  By:  Luna, Madla                                       S.B. No. 612
    1-2        (In the Senate - Filed February 16, 1995; February 20, 1995,
    1-3  read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human
    1-4  Services; April 18, 1995, reported adversely, with favorable
    1-5  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0;
    1-6  April 18, 1995, sent to printer.)
    1-7  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 612                    By:  Madla
    1-8                         A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-9                                AN ACT
   1-10  relating to certain nursing home services funded through the state
   1-11  Medicaid program.
   1-12        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
   1-13        SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code,
   1-14  is amended by adding Section 32.0245 to read as follows:
   1-15        Sec. 32.0245.  NURSING HOME BEDS FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
   1-16  The department may waive a restriction imposed by state law on the
   1-17  authority to contract under the state Medicaid program for nursing
   1-18  home beds based on the percentage of beds that are occupied in a
   1-19  geographical area if the department finds, in accordance with board
   1-20  rule, that waiving the restriction would serve an underserved
   1-21  community.
   1-22        SECTION 2.  If, before implementing Section 32.0245, Human
   1-23  Resources Code, as added by this Act, the Texas Department of Human
   1-24  Services determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal
   1-25  agency is necessary for implementation, the department shall
   1-26  request the waiver or authorization and may delay implementing that
   1-27  section until the waiver or authorization is granted.
   1-28        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-29  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-30  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-31  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-32  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   1-33  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   1-34  passage, and it is so enacted.
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