By Maxey H.B. No. 1489 76R3504 PEP-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the provision of medical care services to inmates 1-3 confined by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and to certain 1-4 administrative matters pertaining to the provision of those 1-5 services. 1-6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-7 SECTION 1. Section 501.059(k), Government Code, is amended 1-8 to read as follows: 1-9 (k) The committee may enter into a contract on behalf of the 1-10 department to fully implement the managed health care plan under 1-11 Subsection (h). The committee, not later than October 31 of each 1-12 year, shall report to the governor, the comptroller, the state 1-13 auditor, and the Legislative Budget Board regarding any amounts 1-14 received in the previous fiscal year in excess of costs incurred in 1-15 the previous fiscal year in providing health care services under 1-16 the managed health care plan. On reporting under this subsection, 1-17 the committee shall deposit half of the excess amounts received to 1-18 the general revenue fund. 1-19 SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 501, Government Code, is 1-20 amended by adding Section 501.0591 to read as follows: 1-21 Sec. 501.0591. USE OF TELEMEDICINE AND TELEMEDICINE 1-22 RESOURCES. (a) The University of Texas Medical Branch at 1-23 Galveston and the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, in conjunction 1-24 with the Correctional Managed Health Care Advisory Committee, shall 2-1 develop and implement a comprehensive plan for expanding the use of 2-2 telemedicine within the prison system. The plan must include 2-3 measures designed to reduce inmate transportation and health care 2-4 costs. 2-5 (b) The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and 2-6 the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center may use correctional 2-7 telemedicine resources for rural health care initiatives and for 2-8 purposes of rural health care education. The Center for Rural 2-9 Health Initiatives may assist the Correctional Managed Health Care 2-10 Advisory Committee and the universities in coordinating a 2-11 statewide effort to link rural communities with health education 2-12 centers through correctional telemedicine resources. 2-13 (c) The Correctional Managed Health Care Advisory Committee 2-14 and any ad hoc committee of the department that deals with 2-15 transportation issues shall report to the 77th Legislature 2-16 regarding the progress made in expanding the use of telemedicine in 2-17 providing inmate health care services and reducing inmate 2-18 transportation and health care costs. The report must include 2-19 implementation plans, a timetable, and an analysis of costs 2-20 incurred and savings realized through expanding the use of 2-21 telemedicine. In receiving a report under this subsection, the 2-22 legislature shall consider dedicating any savings realized through 2-23 expanding the use of telemedicine for purposes of further expanding 2-24 the use of telemedicine to provide inmate health care services. 2-25 This subsection expires September 1, 2001. 2-26 SECTION 3. (a) The Correctional Managed Health Care 2-27 Advisory Committee shall annually deposit amounts received to the 3-1 general revenue fund as required by Section 501.059(k), Government 3-2 Code, as amended by this Act, beginning not later than October 31, 3-3 2000. 3-4 (b) The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and 3-5 the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, in conjunction with the 3-6 Correctional Managed Health Care Advisory Committee, shall develop 3-7 and begin implementation of the comprehensive plan required by 3-8 Section 501.0591(a), Government Code, as added by this Act, not 3-9 later than January 1, 2000. 3-10 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 3-11 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the 3-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.