SRC-JJJ H.B. 2966 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 2966
76R10175 KLA-FBy: Hilbert (Lindsay)
Human Services
4/10/1999
Engrossed


DIGEST 

Currently, Texas law authorizes a governing body to adopt an ordinance
creating a hospital authority if the governing body finds that the creation
of the authority is in the best interest of the municipality and its
residents.  All hospital authorities may own or operate a hospital, but
only hospital authorities that are located in a county with a population of
35,000 or less, rural area, or an area that is not delineated as an
urbanized area by the federal census bureau may own or operate other
medical facilities that cater to the elderly or disabled.  The governing
body of the Tomball County Hospital District wants to operate a nursing
home, an assisted living facility on land it owns adjacent to its hospital.
H.B. 2966 would establish the authority of certain hospital authorities to
provide facilities and services for the elderly or disabled. 
  
PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 2966 establishes the authority of certain hospital
authorities to provide facilities and services for the elderly or disabled. 

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 262.034, Health and Safety Code, by amending
Subsection (e) and adding Subsection (g), to provide that  this section
applies only to certain authorities, including a municipality with a
population of less than 12,000 and a county with a population of 2.5
million or more at the time the authority begins operating a facility or
providing a service.  Prohibits the authority from owning or operating more
than 50 licensed nursing home beds and is not subject to Subsection (f). 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.