BWH C.S.H.B. 794 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


COUNTY AFFAIRS
C.S.H.B. 794
By: Rodriguez
3-5-97
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND 

Current law provides the authority for a hospital district to contract
with certain hospitals, the federal government, State of Texas, other
hospital districts, and municipalities.  However,  any hospitals outside
the hospital's district boundary are excluded from this authority.  This
provides a detrimental degree of inflexibility in the exisiting law
whereby a broader collaborative effort among two separate hospital
districts may not be utilized under Section 281.051 of the Health and
Safety Code.  At times, the ability of two or more hospital districts to
contract for services with each other could prove very beneficial under
certain circumstances. 

PURPOSE

This bill amends existing law to permit more flexibility in contracting
between hospital districts. 

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.  C.S.H.B. 794 amends Section 281.051 of the Health and Safety
Code as follows: 
 1) Strikes Subsections (a)(3) and (4);
 2) Adds a new Subsection (a)(3) to include other governmental agencies;
 3) Strikes Subsections (b) to remove certain criteria which must be met
to enter  into a contract; and  
 4) Reletters existing Subsections (c) and (d).

SECTION 2.  Effective Date:  September 1, 1997.

SECTION 3.  Emergency Clause.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 794 amends SECTION 1. of H.B. 794 by:
 1) reinstating private hospitals as a category that can contract with a
hospital district under Subsection 281.051(a), Health and Safety Code; and 
 2) reinstating Subsection (c) regarding the authority of a commissioners
court to approve contract between the board and a governmental entitity.