1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the provision of charity care, indigent health care,

 1-3     and other community benefits by certain nonprofit hospitals.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 311.044, Health and Safety Code, is

 1-6     amended by adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read as follows:

 1-7           (d)  In determining the community-wide needs assessment

 1-8     required by Subsection (b), a nonprofit hospital shall consider

 1-9     consulting with and seeking input from representatives of the

1-10     following entities or organizations located in the community as

1-11     defined by Subsection (b):

1-12                 (1)  the local health department;

1-13                 (2)  the public health region under Chapter 121;

1-14                 (3)  the public health district;

1-15                 (4)  health-related organizations, including a health

1-16     professional association or hospital association;

1-17                 (5)  health science centers;

1-18                 (6)  private business;

1-19                 (7)  consumers;

1-20                 (8)  local governments; and

1-21                 (9)  insurance companies and managed care organizations

1-22     with an active market presence in the community.

1-23           (e)  Representatives of a nonprofit hospital shall consider

1-24     meeting with representatives of the entities and organizations

 2-1     listed in Subsection (d) to assess the health care needs of the

 2-2     community and population served by the nonprofit hospital.

 2-3           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-4     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-5     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-6     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-7     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 2-8     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 2-9     passage, and it is so enacted.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 2384 was passed by the House on May

         7, 1997, by a non-record vote; that the House refused to concur in

         Senate amendments to H.B. No. 2384 on May 29, 1997, and requested

         the appointment of a conference committee to consider the

         differences between the two houses; and that the House adopted the

         conference committee report on H.B. No. 2384 on June 1, 1997, by a

         non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 2384 was passed by the Senate, with

         amendments, on May 27, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays

         1; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference

         committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and

         that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.

         2384 on June 1, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor