SRC-AAA C.S.S.B. 606 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 606 By: Lucio Finance 4-8-97 Committee Report (Substituted) DIGEST Currently, there is no organized tax-based funding of indigent care in the Rio Grande Valley. Population in four counties of the Lower Rio Grande Valley is approaching 900,000. Local health departments and state regional health offices have been asked to absorb indigent patient care, or it is absorbed in the form of inflated costs associated with emergency room drop-ins. This bill provides for the creation of the Regional Academic Health Center, which would provide much needed medical care and fulfill the increased demand for primary care physicians. PURPOSE As proposed, C.S.S.B. 606 authorizes the University of Texas System to establish the Regional Academic Health Center in the four-county of the Lower Rio Grande Valley area. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 74, Education Code, by adding Subchapter L, as follows: SUBCHAPTER L. LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER Sec. 74.611. AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH OR PARTICIPATE IN CENTER. Authorizes the board of regents of the University of Texas System (board) to establish the Regional Academic Health Center (center), if general revenue funds are specifically appropriated by the legislature for this purpose, for certain counties. Authorizes the board to carry out certain agreements. Authorizes the board to assign responsibility for management of the center to any University of Texas component institution. Sets forth uses for the center. Sec. 74.612. GIFTS AND GRANTS. Authorizes the board to accept grants and gifts for the center. Sec. 74.613. FACILITIES. Requires the board to provide adequate physical facilities for use by the center in its teaching and research programs. Sets forth sources of funds for the physical facilities. Sec. 74.614. TEACHING HOSPITAL. Authorizes a teaching hospital considered suitable by the board to be provided by a public or private entity. Prohibits the hospital from being constructed, maintained, or operated with state funds. Sec. 74.615. COORDINATING BOARD SUPERVISION. Provides that the center is subject to the continuing supervision of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, as provided in Chapter 61, Education Code, and to the rules of the coordinating board. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1997. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 74, Education Code, by deleting proposed SECTION 1 and adding Subchapter L, regarding the establishment and operation of a Lower Rio Grande Valley Academic Health Center by the University of Texas System. SECTIONS 2 and 3. Adds effective date and emergency clause.