76R10946 KLA-D By Coleman, Ehrhardt H.B. No. 2304 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2304: By Coleman C.S.H.B. No. 2304 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to certain providers of family counseling services under 1-3 the medical assistance program. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 32.027(e), Human Resources Code, is 1-6 amended to read as follows: 1-7 (e) The department shall assure that a recipient of medical 1-8 assistance under this chapter may select a licensed psychologist or 1-9 a licensed marriage and family therapist, as defined by Section 2, 1-10 Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act (Article 4512c-1, 1-11 Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), to perform any health care service 1-12 or procedure covered under the medical assistance program if the 1-13 selected psychologist or marriage and family therapist is 1-14 authorized by law to perform the service or procedure. This 1-15 subsection shall be liberally construed. 1-16 SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act 1-17 a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a 1-18 federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, 1-19 the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or 1-20 authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the 1-21 waiver or authorization is granted. 1-22 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 1-23 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 1-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-1 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-2 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-3 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.