HBA-CCH H.B. 1478 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1478
By: Maxey
Human Services
2/19/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The 76th Legislature created a work group to assist certain health and
human services agencies in creating a system for family-based long-term
care and health programs.  With a time-limited Texas Family Support
Initiative grant from the federal government, the work group was
established and named the Children's Long-Term Care Policy Council.  The
work group's goal is to enable children who need long-term care and support
to live with their families, and to develop the potential of these children
as individuals and as integral members of the community.  Several states
have formed permanent family support councils to address policy issues
affecting children who need or receive long-term health care and support.
House Bill 1478 continues the work group as the Children's Policy Council,
and modifies the council's composition and duties.  

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 1478 amends the Human Resources Code to change the name of the
work group on long-term care and health programs from the Children's
Long-Term Care Policy Council to the Children's Policy Council (work
group).  H.B. 1478 includes the Texas Department of Mental Health and
Mental Retardation among the entities the work group is required to assist
in developing, implementing, and administering family support policies and
related long-term care and health programs for children.  The bill modifies
the composition and administration requirements of the work group. 

H.B. 1478 modifies the work group's duties to include studying and making
recommendations regarding: 

 _services and support for families providing care for children with
disabilities; 
 
 _effective permanency planning for children who reside in institutions or
who are at risk of placement in an institution; 
 
 _barriers to enforcement of regulations regarding institutions that serve
children with disabilities; and 
 
 _the provision of services under the medical assistance program to
children younger than 23 years of age with disabilities or special health
care needs under a Medicaid waiver for home or community-based services. 

The bill requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations
to the legislature and the commissioner of health and human services no
later than September 1 of each even-numbered year.  The commissioner is
required to ensure that the composition of the work group's membership
complies with the bill's provisions no later than January 1, 2002. 
   
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2001.