By Coleman                                            H.B. No. 2304
         76R7120 KLA-D                           
                                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, Human Resources Code, is amended
 1-6     by adding Subsection (j) to read as follows:
 1-7           (j)  The department shall permit a recipient of medical
 1-8     assistance under this chapter to receive family counseling services
 1-9     through a licensed marriage and family therapist, as defined by
1-10     Section 2, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act (Article
1-11     4512c-1, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes).
1-12           SECTION 2.  If before implementing any provision of this Act
1-13     a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
1-14     federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
1-15     the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
1-16     authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
1-17     waiver or authorization is granted.
1-18           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-19           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.