1-1 By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1585 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 12, 1999; March 15, 1999, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Human Services; 1-4 April 8, 1999, reported adversely, with favorable Committee 1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 4, Nays 0; April 8, 1999, 1-6 sent to printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1585 By: Zaffirini 1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-9 AN ACT 1-10 relating to the use of competitive bidding for certain functions 1-11 and components of the Medicaid vendor drug program. 1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-13 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, 1-14 is amended by adding Section 32.0461 to read as follows: 1-15 Sec. 32.0461. VENDOR DRUG PROGRAM; COMPETITIVE BIDDING. 1-16 (a) In consultation and coordination with the State Council on 1-17 Competitive Government, the Texas Department of Health shall seek 1-18 competitive bids for the claims processing function of the vendor 1-19 drug program. The department and the Texas Department of Human 1-20 Services may submit a bid proposal under this section in the same 1-21 manner as a private entity. 1-22 (b) The Texas Department of Health shall require any person 1-23 seeking to contract for services under this section to comply with 1-24 competitive bidding procedures adopted by that department. 1-25 (c) The Texas Department of Health may award a contract 1-26 under this section to another person only if the department and the 1-27 State Council on Competitive Government determine that the 1-28 provision of services under that contract would be more 1-29 cost-effective and the time to process claims under the contract 1-30 would be the same as or faster than having employees of the 1-31 department continue to process claims. 1-32 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 1-33 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-34 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-35 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-36 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-37 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-38 * * * * *