HBA-NRS C.S.H.B. 3244 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 3244
By: Gallego
Appropriations
4/19/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law provides the Texas Department of Health (TDH) with appropriated
funds from the interest proceeds of the emergency medical services and
trauma care tobacco endowment. Initially, interest deposits appropriated
for the program were made monthly. However, this was changed to quarterly
deposits during the last fiscal year. Consequently, some grant recipients
now wait up to three months for fund reimbursement which may present a
financial hardship. C.S.H.B. 3244 allows TDH to temporarily transfer
certain tobacco funds among tobacco-endowed programs. 

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

C.S.H.B. 3244 amends the Government Code to authorize the Texas Department
of Health (TDH) to direct the comptroller of public accounts (comptroller)
to temporarily transfer money appropriated to TDH to pay an obligation that
TDH is authorized to incur under and for which money is appropriated under
the Community Hospital Capital Improvement Fund, the Permanent Fund for
Children and Public Health, the Permanent Fund for Emergency Medical
Services and Trauma Care, and the Permanent Fund for Tobacco Education and
Enforcement if TDH determines that the transfer is necessary for cash
management purposes. As soon as possible after the transfer, the bill
requires TDH to direct the comptroller to transfer back the transferred
amount from amounts appropriated under the Community Hospital Capital
Improvement Fund, the Permanent Fund for Children and Public Health, the
Permanent Fund for Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Care to a specific
appropriation item. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect the 91st day after the last day of the legislative session. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 3244 modifies the original bill by adding the Permanent Fund of
Children and Public Health to the list of funds that can be borrowed
against for the purpose of a temporary transfer of tobacco funds and
removes the provision requiring the comptroller to transfer back applicable
interest from amounts appropriated.