LSL H.B. 417 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS PUBLIC HEALTH H.B. 417 By: Maxey 3-12-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Nonprofit hospitals and hospital systems are required to submit an annual report of their community benefits plan to the Texas Department of Health (TDH), and to submit a standard annual statement of community benefits to TDH, the Comptroller of Public Accounts and the hospital's local appraisal district. There are more than 140 nonprofit hospitals that are required to report on the provision of charity care and community benefits under the law. These reports must be filed no later than 120 days after the close of the hospital's or hospital system's fiscal year. Hospitals in Texas are not required to adhere to a certain fiscal year reporting period. Based on 1995 information, nonprofit hospitals used 10 different fiscal year times as a basis for submitting their reports as required under this statute. As a result, the administration of this law is a continuous process. On an ongoing basis, TDH staff must issue notification to hospitals, monitor compliance with reporting deadlines, and maintain information on changes in hospital fiscal years. PURPOSE H.B. 417 sets April 30 of each year as the standard date by which all annual reports of community benefits plans must be filed with the TDH Bureau of State Health Data and Policy Analysis. 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 311.046(b), Health & Safety Code, by establishing April 30 of each year as the deadline for the filing of the annual reports of community benefits plans. Deletes language relating to the original deadline of 120 days after the end of the hospital's fiscal year. SECTION 2. Establishes the effective date of the Act as September 1, 1997, and provides that it is applicable only to reports filed for fiscal years ending on or after January 1, 1998. Declares that the filing date of a report for fiscal years ending before January 1, 1998, is governed by the current law which is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.