By Ellis                                               S.B. No. 806
         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.