SRC-AXB S.B. 983 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterS.B. 983 By: Madla Human Services 6/30/1999 Enrolled DIGEST Currently, the Texas Department of Health defines a branch office for home health agencies' license requirements as being within 70 miles of a main office. However, there are many remote areas of Texas which cannot be reached within 70 miles of anything. Ten years ago, the Health Care Financing Administration first instructed its surveyors that driving time and distance should not be used as a criteria in evaluating a branch office. S.B. 983 requires the commissioner of health and human services to contact the federal Health Care Financing Administration to request the adoption of certain rules regarding modern methods of communication and driving distance requirements. PURPOSE As enrolled, S.B. 983 requires the commissioner of health and human services to contact the federal Health Care Financing Administration to request the adoption of certain rules. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Requires the commissioner of health and human services to contact the federal Health Care Financing Administration to request the adoption of rules which allow certain agencies to use modern methods of communication, and which eliminate driving distance requirements. SECTION 2.Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3.Emergency clause.