1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to eligibility for state assistance under the Indigent
1-3 Health Care and Treatment Act for certain hospitals.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 61.037, Health and Safety Code, is
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 61.037. COUNTY ELIGIBILITY FOR STATE ASSISTANCE.
1-8 (a) The department may distribute funds as provided by this
1-9 subchapter to eligible counties to assist the counties in providing
1-10 mandatory health care services to their eligible county residents.
1-11 (b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), [or] (d), or (e),
1-12 to be eligible for state assistance, a county must:
1-13 (1) spend in a state fiscal year at least 10 percent
1-14 of the county general revenue levy for that year to provide
1-15 mandatory health care services to its eligible county residents who
1-16 qualify for assistance under Section 61.006; and
1-17 (2) notify the department, not later than the seventh
1-18 day after the date on which the county reaches the expenditure
1-19 level, that the county has spent at least eight percent of the
1-20 applicable county general revenue levy for that year to provide
1-21 mandatory health care services to its eligible county residents who
1-22 qualify for assistance under Section 61.006.
1-23 (c) If a county and a health care provider signed a contract
1-24 on or before January 1, 1985, under which the provider agrees to
2-1 furnish a certain level of health care services to indigent
2-2 persons, the value of services furnished in a state fiscal year
2-3 under the contract is included as part of the computation of a
2-4 county expenditure under this section if the value of services does
2-5 not exceed the payment rate established by the department under
2-6 Section 61.006.
2-7 (d) If a hospital district is located in part but not all of
2-8 a county, that county's appraisal district shall determine the
2-9 taxable value of the property located inside the county but outside
2-10 the hospital district. In determining eligibility for state
2-11 assistance, that county shall consider only the county general
2-12 revenue levy resulting from the property located outside the
2-13 hospital district. A county is eligible for state assistance if:
2-14 (1) the county spends in a state fiscal year at least
2-15 10 percent of the county general revenue levy for that year
2-16 resulting from the property located outside the hospital district
2-17 to provide mandatory health care services to its eligible county
2-18 residents who qualify for assistance under Section 61.006; and
2-19 (2) the county complies with the other requirements of
2-20 this subchapter.
2-21 (e) A county that provides mandatory health care services to
2-22 its eligible residents through a hospital established by a board of
2-23 managers jointly appointed by a county and a municipality under
2-24 Section 265.011 is eligible for state assistance if:
2-25 (1) the county spends in a state fiscal year at least
2-26 10 percent of the county general revenue levy for the year to
2-27 provide mandatory health care services to its eligible county
3-1 residents who qualify for assistance under Section 61.006; and
3-2 (2) the county complies with the requirements of this
3-3 subchapter.
3-4 (f) If a county anticipates that it will reach the 10
3-5 percent expenditure level, the county must notify the department as
3-6 soon as possible before the anticipated date on which the county
3-7 will reach the level.
3-8 (g) [(f)] The county must give the department all necessary
3-9 information so that the department can determine if the county
3-10 meets the requirements of Subsection (b), [or] (d), or (e).
3-11 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
3-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-16 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-17 passage, and it is so enacted.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2556 was passed by the House on May
7, 1997, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 0, 2 present, not
voting.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2556 was passed by the Senate on May
21, 1997, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor