SRC-AXB H.B. 670 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 670 76R937 CMR-DBy: Wise (Brown) Veterans Affairs 5/4/1999 Engrossed DIGEST Currently, Texas veterans are required to pay a fee when requesting copies of medical records to be included in an application for disability benefits. Applicants for other programs such as Aid to Dependent Families with Dependent Children, Texas' Medicaid Program, and Federal Old Age and Survivors Insurance, are eligible to receive free medical records. H.B. 670 prohibits a fee from being charged to veterans for a health record request, under certain conditions. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 670 provides medical records to Texas veterans without a fee, for certain purposes. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 161.202(a), Health and Safety Code, to prohibit a fee from being charged for a health record request by certain patients who seek to receive disability benefits under 38 U.S.C. Sections 1101 and 1501 et seq., as amended. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.