SRC-JFA C.S.S.B. 913 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 913
By: Sibley
Health & Human Services
4-7-97
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 

Currently, Chapter 46, Health and Safety Code, sets forth the guidelines
for the medically underserved community-state matching program.  The
program offers a matching grant to communities that have made a commitment
to bring a primary care physician to a medically underserved community.
Two of the guidelines provide that the new physician have to (1) conduct a
full-time clinical practice in the community; and (2) have completed a
primary care residency program within the past seven years.  During the
first round of applications for the grant money, applicant communities had
a difficult time meeting these two guidelines.  This bill would remove
these guidelines in regard to the type of physician a medically
underserved community may sponsor under the program.  Additionally, this
bill would remove Chapter 46, Health and Safety Code, and redesignated it
under Chapter 106E, Health and Safety Code, under the auspices of the
Center for Rural Health Initiatives, rather than the Texas Board of
Health.    

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.S.B. 913 removes Chapter 46, Health and Safety Code,
relating to the medically underserved community-state matching incentive
program, and redesignates it under Chapter 106E, Health and Safety Code,
under the auspices of the Center for Rural Health Initiatives, rather than
the Texas Board of Health.  This bill revises two of the guidelines
relating to the incentive program.    
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is granted to the executive committee of the Center
for Rural Health Initiatives in SECTION 1 (Section 106.104, Health and
Safety Code) of this bill.  

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 46, Health and Safety Code, to redesignate it as
Chapter 106E, Health and Safety Code, as follows:  

SUBCHAPTER E.  New heading: MEDICALLY UNDESERVED 
COMMUNITY-STATE MATCHING INCENTIVE PROGRAM

Sec. 106.101. DEFINITIONS.  Redesignated from Section 46.001.  Sets forth
the definitions in this subchapter, rather than chapter.   

Sec. 106.102.  PROGRAM.  Requires the executive committee of the Center
for Rural Health Initiatives (executive committee), rather than the Texas
Board of Health (board), to establish and administer a program under this
subchapter to increase the number of physicians providing primary care in
medically underserved communities.  Deletes text limiting a medically
underserved community to sponsoring a physician who has completed a
primary care residency program within seven years of application to the
medically underserved community-state matching incentive program.  Makes
conforming changes.   

Sec. 106.103.  ELIGIBILITY.  Makes conforming changes.  

Sec. 106.104.  RULES.  Requires the executive committee to adopt rules
necessary for the administration of this subchapter.  Deletes text
requiring the executive committee to adopt  rules regarding, among other
items, the contents of an agreement to be entered into by the parties to
include a requirement of a full-time clinical practice for participating
physicians. Makes conforming changes.   

Sec. 106.105.  FUNDING.  Makes conforming changes. 
 
SECTION 2.  (a)  Requires the board, by September 1, 1998, to transfer the
obligations, property, and rights that the board had under former Chapter
46, Health and Safety Code, as redesignated by this Act, to the Center for
Rural Health Initiatives (center).  Provides that the center assumes all
of the obligations, property, and rights of the board under Chapter 46,
Health and Safety Code, as exercised by the board immediately before the
effective date of this Act.  Provides that all unexpended funds
appropriated to the board under Chapter 46, Health and Safety Code, are
transferred to the center.  Requires the transfer of the obligations,
property, and rights of the board under Chapter 46, Health and Safety
Code, to be completed by September 1, 1998. 

(b)  Provides that all rules of the board relating to Chapter 46, Health
and Safety Code, are continued in effect as rules of the center until
superseded by a rule of the center. 

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1997.

SECTION 4. Emergency clause.  

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Revises the proposed relating clause. 

SECTION 1.

Amends Chapter 46, Health and Safety Code, by proposing changes in regard
to the guidelines of the medically underserved community-state matching
incentive program previously suggested in SECTIONS 1 and 2, and by
transferring Chapter 46, Health and Safety Code, to Chapter 106, Health
and Safety Code, setting forth regulations for the center.  
SECTION 2.

Sets forth session law relating to the redesignation of Chapter 46, Health
and Safety Code.