HBA-JRA S.C.R. 6 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.C.R. 6
By: Harris
House Administration
3/23/1999
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, an estimated 24.5 percent of Texans, almost five million people,
do not have health insurance.  Nationwide, the percentage is estimated to
be 16 percent.  Most uninsured Texans are low-wage workers and their
families.  State welfare reform efforts have succeeded in moving many
Texans from welfare to work, but some feel that the long-term success of
reform is jeopardized because these workers may earn enough to lose their
Medicaid eligibility yet not enough to afford health insurance coverage.
Taxpayers often shoulder the burden of providing health care to uninsured
citizens through county indigent health care programs, hospitals, and
individual physicians. 

S.C.R. 6 urges the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of
the house of representatives to establish and provide resources, including
staffing, for a Blue Ribbon Task Force (task force) to conduct an in-depth
study of the uninsured issue.  This resolution sets forth the composition
of  the task force, and provides that the proceedings and operations of the
task force be governed by such general rules and policies for joint interim
committees as the 76th Legislature may adopt and that such rules and
policies supersede the provisions of this resolution to the extent of any
conflict. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

S.C.R. 6 urges the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of
the house of representatives to establish and provide resources, including
staffing, for a Blue Ribbon Task Force (task force) to conduct an in-depth
study of the uninsured issue, sets forth the composition of the task force,
and provides that the proceedings and operations of the task force be
governed by such general rules and policies for joint interim committees as
the 76th Legislature may adopt and that such rules and policies supersede
the provisions of this resolution to the extent of any conflict.