HBA-CMT, DMH H.B. 893 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 893
By: Hinojosa
Transportation
4/18/2001
Committee Report (Amended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

In 1999, the legislature created the tertiary care account to help
reimburse hospitals for some of the $65 million spent on free trauma care
for indigent residents in 1997.  The tertiary care account may only
reimburse hospitals for services delivered to out-of-county residents
living below the poverty level that participate in the specified trauma
network.  Originally the tertiary care account was funded by unclaimed
prize money from the Texas Lottery, which averages about $16 million per
year.  However, the need for funds is not fully met.  House Bill 893
creates an additional $1 fee for motor vehicle registration dedicated to
the tertiary care account. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 893 amends the Transportation Code to require that a fee of $1
be collected for trauma centers and tertiary medical services, in addition
to the current motor vehicle registration fees for each license plate or
set of license plates or other device used as the registration insignia.
The bill requires the county assessor-collector to send the additional fee
collected to the comptroller of public accounts for deposit in the tertiary
care account. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

Committee Amendment No. 1 increases from $1 to $5 the fee that is required
to be collected for trauma centers and tertiary medical services in
addition to the current motor vehicle registration fees for each license
plate or set of license plates or other device used as a registration
insignia.  The amendment specifies that the day on which the county
assessor-collector is to send the additional fee collected to the
comptroller of public accounts for deposit in the tertiary care account is
the first Monday of every month.  The amendment authorizes the county
assessor-collector to retain an amount of not more than 10 percent of each
fee collected under the bill for administrative costs.