By Zbranek                                       H.B. No. 606

      75R2123 KKA-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to access to nursing facilities in rural counties.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code,

 1-5     is amended by adding Section 32.0246 to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 32.0246.  NURSING HOME BEDS IN CERTAIN COUNTIES.

 1-7     (a)  At the request of the commissioners court of a county in which

 1-8     not more than one nursing facility is certified to participate in

 1-9     the state Medicaid program, the department shall contract for

1-10     nursing home beds under the state Medicaid program with an

1-11     additional nursing facility in the county without regard to the

1-12     occupancy rate of available Medicaid beds.

1-13           (b)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the department is not

1-14     required to contract with a nursing facility that does not meet

1-15     requirements for participation in the state Medicaid program.

1-16           SECTION 2.  If, before implementing Section 32.0246, Human

1-17     Resources Code,  as added by this Act, the Texas Department of

1-18     Human Services determines that a waiver or authorization from a

1-19     federal agency is necessary for implementation, the department

1-20     shall request the waiver or authorization and may delay

1-21     implementing that section until the waiver or authorization is

1-22     granted.

1-23           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-1     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-2     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-3     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 2-4     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 2-5     passage, and it is so enacted.