By King H.B. No. 2598
75R3753 SKB-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the membership and duties of the statewide health
1-3 coordinating council.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 104.011, Health and Safety Code, is
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 104.011. COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL. (a) The statewide
1-8 health coordinating council is composed of 16 [15] members
1-9 determined as follows:
1-10 (1) the commissioner of health and human services or a
1-11 representative designated by the commissioner;
1-12 (2) the presiding officer of the Texas Higher
1-13 Education Coordinating Board or a representative designated by the
1-14 presiding officer;
1-15 (3) the presiding officer of the department or a
1-16 representative designated by the presiding officer;
1-17 (4) the presiding officer of the Texas Health Care
1-18 Information Council or a representative designated by the presiding
1-19 officer;
1-20 (5) one physician appointed by the governor after
1-21 considering any recommendations of appropriate professional
1-22 associations;
1-23 (6) a licensed nurse appointed by the governor after
1-24 considering any recommendations of appropriate professional
2-1 associations;
2-2 (7) two representatives of a university or
2-3 health-related institution of higher education, appointed by the
2-4 governor;
2-5 (8) one hospital administrator, appointed by the
2-6 governor;
2-7 (9) one consumer advocate, appointed by the governor;
2-8 (10) one psychologist appointed by the lieutenant
2-9 governor after considering any recommendations of appropriate
2-10 professional associations;
2-11 (11) one managed care administrator, appointed by the
2-12 lieutenant governor;
2-13 (12) three consumer advocates, at least one of whom
2-14 must be a health policy expert or a health care economist,
2-15 appointed by the lieutenant governor; and
2-16 (13) one representative of a junior or community
2-17 college, appointed by the lieutenant governor [appointed by the
2-18 governor. The governor shall appoint three members who represent
2-19 health care professionals, three members who represent institutions
2-20 of higher education, three members who are consumer advocates, and
2-21 six public members].
2-22 (b) The appointments of the governor shall be with the
2-23 advice and consent of the senate.
2-24 SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 104, Health and Safety
2-25 Code, is amended by adding Section 104.015 to read as follows:
2-26 Sec. 104.015. ADVISORY BOARDS AND AD HOC COMMITTEES. The
2-27 statewide health coordinating council may form advisory boards or
3-1 ad hoc committees composed of health care experts from the public
3-2 and private sectors to review policy matters related to the
3-3 council's purpose.
3-4 SECTION 3. Section 105.001, Health and Safety Code, is
3-5 amended to read as follows:
3-6 Sec. 105.001. DEFINITIONS [DEFINITION]. In this chapter:
3-7 (1) "Health[, "health] profession" means any health or
3-8 allied health profession that is licensed, certified, or registered
3-9 by a state board, agency, or association.
3-10 (2) "Council" means the statewide health coordinating
3-11 council.
3-12 SECTION 4. Section 105.002, Health and Safety Code, is
3-13 amended to read as follows:
3-14 Sec. 105.002. Establishment of Center. In conjunction with
3-15 the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and in such a way as
3-16 to avoid duplication of effort, the council [department] shall
3-17 establish a comprehensive health professions resource center for
3-18 the collection and analysis of educational and employment trends
3-19 for health professions in this state.
3-20 SECTION 5. Section 105.003, Health and Safety Code, is
3-21 amended to read as follows:
3-22 Sec. 105.003. COLLECTION OF DATA. (a) The council
3-23 [department] shall place a high priority on collecting and
3-24 disseminating data on health professions demonstrating an acute
3-25 shortage in this state, including:
3-26 (1) data concerning nursing personnel; and
3-27 (2) data concerning the health professions in which
4-1 shortages occur in rural areas.
4-2 (b) To the extent possible, the council [department] may
4-3 collect the data from existing sources that the council
4-4 [department] determines are credible. The council [department]
4-5 may enter agreements with those sources that establish guidelines
4-6 concerning the identification, acquisition, transfer, and
4-7 confidentiality of the data.
4-8 (c) At a minimum, the data collected by the council
4-9 [department] must include the following in regard to health
4-10 professionals:
4-11 (1) their number and geographic distribution;
4-12 (2) licensure or certification status;
4-13 (3) specialty areas, if applicable; and
4-14 (4) trends or changes in license holders according to
4-15 number or geographic distribution.
4-16 SECTION 6. Section 105.004, Health and Safety Code, is
4-17 amended to read as follows:
4-18 Sec. 105.004. REPORTS. The council [department] may use the
4-19 data collected and analyzed under this chapter to publish reports
4-20 regarding:
4-21 (1) the educational and employment trends for health
4-22 professions;
4-23 (2) the supply and demand of health professions; and
4-24 (3) other issues, as necessary, concerning health
4-25 professions in this state.
4-26 SECTION 7. Section 105.007, Health and Safety Code, is
4-27 amended to read as follows:
5-1 Sec. 105.007. CLEARINGHOUSE. (a) As part of the
5-2 comprehensive health professions resource center, the council
5-3 [department] shall develop and establish a clearinghouse for health
5-4 professionals seeking collaborative practice.
5-5 (b) The council [department] may:
5-6 (1) set and collect a reasonable fee to offset the
5-7 cost of complying with this section;
5-8 (2) solicit, receive, and spend grants, gifts, and
5-9 donations from public and private sources to comply with this
5-10 section; and
5-11 (3) contract with public or private entities in the
5-12 performance of its responsibilities under this section.
5-13 SECTION 8. Subchapter D, Chapter 104, Health and Safety
5-14 Code, is amended by adding Section 104.0421 to read as follows:
5-15 Sec. 104.0421. STATEWIDE DATA COLLECTION AND COORDINATION.
5-16 (a) The statewide health coordinating council shall establish
5-17 standards for collecting health data from state agencies and
5-18 departments.
5-19 (b) The council shall collect data on health professionals.
5-20 The council may seek the assistance of the appropriate licensing
5-21 agency or department in the collection of data on health
5-22 professionals. This data collection shall be made available to the
5-23 licensing agencies and departments for use in the licensing process
5-24 of health professionals.
5-25 (c) The council shall monitor and evaluate long-term
5-26 regional, statewide, and local health needs. The council shall use
5-27 this evaluation for developing recommendations relating to health
6-1 education, training, and regulation.
6-2 (d) The council shall use data collected under this section
6-3 to develop workforce goals for health professions and to recommend
6-4 the appropriate level and distribution of state funding for
6-5 education and training to achieve these goals. The council shall
6-6 evaluate the short-term and long-term effects of the
6-7 recommendations made under this subsection.
6-8 (e) The council shall, with the assistance of higher
6-9 education agencies and institutions, area health education centers,
6-10 teaching hospitals, and health education institutions, improve
6-11 coordination of statewide health planning. The council may seek
6-12 the assistance of the National Association of Health Data
6-13 Organizations, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the
6-14 National Council of State Legislatures, and the Association of
6-15 American Health Centers.
6-16 SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
6-17 SECTION 10. (a) The statewide health coordinating council
6-18 that existed immediately before the effective date of this Act is
6-19 abolished on the effective date of this Act.
6-20 (b) In appointing the initial members of the statewide
6-21 health coordinating council as reconstituted by this Act, the
6-22 governor shall appoint two members to terms expiring August 1,
6-23 1999; two to terms expiring August 1, 2001; and two to terms
6-24 expiring August 1, 2003.
6-25 (c) In appointing the initial members of the statewide
6-26 health coordinating council, the lieutenant governor shall appoint
6-27 two members to terms expiring August 1, 1999; two to terms expiring
7-1 August 1, 2001; and two to terms expiring August 1, 2003.
7-2 SECTION 11. The importance of this legislation and the
7-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
7-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
7-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
7-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.