1-1     By:  Maxey, Wohlgemuth, Naishtat                       H.B. No. 460

 1-2          (Senate Sponsor - Moncrief)

 1-3           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 14, 1997;

 1-4     April 16, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on Health

 1-5     and Human Services; May 7, 1997, reported favorably by the

 1-6     following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 7, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-7                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-8                                   AN ACT

 1-9     relating to federal waivers or authorizations relating to certain

1-10     federally funded long-term care Medicaid programs.

1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-12           SECTION 1.  Not later than January 15, 1999, the Commissioner

1-13     of Health and Human Services shall report to the legislature on the

1-14     feasibility and advisability of replacing all or several of the

1-15     waivers or authorizations that this state has obtained with respect

1-16     to administration of federally funded Medicaid programs supporting

1-17     long-term care services at the Texas Department of Human Services,

1-18     the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, the

1-19     Texas Rehabilitation Commission, and the Texas Department of Health

1-20     with a single waiver or authorization to minimize administrative

1-21     duplication, maximize the services provided, and provide

1-22     flexibility to the state in determining the appropriate combination

1-23     of services to be provided to each individual based on that

1-24     individual's needs.  In making this report, the commissioner shall

1-25     consider the waivers or authorizations obtained with respect to:

1-26                 (1)  the community-based alternatives program

1-27     administered by the Texas Department of Human Services;

1-28                 (2)  the community living assistance support and

1-29     services program administered by the Texas Department of Human

1-30     Services;

1-31                 (3)  the home and community services program and the

1-32     home and community services program under the Omnibus Budget

1-33     Reconciliation Act (OBRA), P.L. 100-203, Nursing Home Reform

1-34     Amendments of 1987, administered by the Texas Department of Mental

1-35     Health and Mental Retardation;

1-36                 (4)  the deaf and blind services program administered

1-37     by the Texas Rehabilitation Commission; and

1-38                 (5)  the medically dependent children program

1-39     administered by the Texas Department of Health.

1-40           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-41     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-42     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-43     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-44     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-45     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-46     passage, and it is so enacted.

1-47                                  * * * * *