1-1 By: Coleman (Senate Sponsor - Bernsen) H.B. No. 757 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House March 22, 2001; 1-3 March 26, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Health 1-4 and Human Services; April 25, 2001, reported adversely, with 1-5 favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 1-6 0; April 25, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 757 By: Shapleigh 1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-9 AN ACT 1-10 relating to the establishment of a task force to eliminate health 1-11 and health access disparities in Texas. 1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-13 SECTION 1. Subtitle E, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is 1-14 amended by adding Chapter 107 to read as follows: 1-15 CHAPTER 107. HEALTH DISPARITIES TASK FORCE 1-16 Sec. 107.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "task force" 1-17 means the health disparities task force established under this 1-18 chapter. 1-19 Sec. 107.002. PURPOSE. The purpose of the task force is to 1-20 assist the department in accomplishing the following goals: 1-21 (1) to eliminate health and health access disparities 1-22 in Texas among multicultural, disadvantaged, and regional 1-23 populations; and 1-24 (2) to reorganize department programs to eliminate 1-25 those disparities. 1-26 Sec. 107.003. DUTIES. (a) The task force shall: 1-27 (1) investigate and report on issues related to health 1-28 and health access disparities among multicultural, disadvantaged, 1-29 and regional populations; 1-30 (2) develop short-term and long-term strategies to 1-31 eliminate health and health access disparities among multicultural, 1-32 disadvantaged, and regional populations, with a focus on 1-33 reorganizing department programs to eliminate those disparities; 1-34 (3) monitor the progress of the department in: 1-35 (A) eliminating the health and health access 1-36 disparities; and 1-37 (B) reorganizing department programs to 1-38 eliminate the disparities; and 1-39 (4) advise the department on the implementation of any 1-40 targeted programs or funding authorized by the legislature to 1-41 address health and health access disparities. 1-42 (b) In performing the duties described in Subsection (a), 1-43 the task force shall consult with the department, the Office of 1-44 Minority Health and Cultural Competency, women's health offices of 1-45 the department, and any other relevant division of the department. 1-46 Sec. 107.004. REPORT. The task force shall submit an annual 1-47 report on the progress of the department in accomplishing the goals 1-48 described by Section 107.002 to the governor, lieutenant governor, 1-49 and speaker of the house of representatives. This report may be 1-50 combined with any other report required of the department by law. 1-51 Sec. 107.005. COMPOSITION. (a) The task force consists of 1-52 nine members as follows: 1-53 (1) three members appointed by the governor, each of 1-54 whom represents a different interest described by Subsection (b); 1-55 (2) three members appointed by the lieutenant 1-56 governor, each of whom represents a different interest described by 1-57 Subsection (b); and 1-58 (3) three members appointed by the speaker of the 1-59 house of representatives, each of whom represents a different 1-60 interest described by Subsection (b). 1-61 (b) Each of the members appointed under Subsection (a) must 1-62 represent one of the following areas: 1-63 (1) business; 1-64 (2) labor; 2-1 (3) government; 2-2 (4) charitable or community organizations; 2-3 (5) racial or ethnic populations; or 2-4 (6) community-based health organizations. 2-5 (c) Members appointed under Subsection (a) must represent 2-6 both urban and rural areas of this state, including urban and rural 2-7 areas of the state adjacent to the border with the United Mexican 2-8 States. 2-9 (d) The governor shall designate a member of the committee 2-10 to serve as presiding officer. 2-11 (e) Members serve staggered two-year terms. Four or five 2-12 members' terms expire February 1 of each year. 2-13 (f) An appointment to fill a vacancy for the unexpired term 2-14 of a member shall be made not later than the 90th day after the 2-15 date the position becomes vacant. 2-16 Sec. 107.006. MEETINGS. The task force shall meet at the 2-17 call of the presiding officer. 2-18 Sec. 107.007. REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES. A task force 2-19 member is not entitled to compensation but is entitled to 2-20 reimbursement for the member's travel expenses as provided by 2-21 Chapter 660, Government Code, and the General Appropriations Act. 2-22 Sec. 107.008. PERSONNEL AND FACILITIES. The task force is 2-23 administratively attached to the department. The department shall 2-24 provide the necessary staff and facilities to assist the task force 2-25 in performing its duties. 2-26 Sec. 107.009. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAW. Chapter 2110, 2-27 Government Code, does not apply to the task force. 2-28 SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is 2-29 amended by adding Section 531.055 to read as follows: 2-30 Sec. 531.055. MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATES REPORT. Not later 2-31 than December 1 of each even-numbered year, the task force created 2-32 under Chapter 107, Health and Safety Code, shall prepare and 2-33 deliver to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house 2-34 of representatives, and each member of the legislature a report 2-35 that: 2-36 (1) identifies the Medicaid reimbursement rates for 2-37 each county in this state; and 2-38 (2) compares the state's Medicaid reimbursement rates 2-39 to the Medicaid reimbursement rates of the top 15 industrial states 2-40 as ranked by the United States Department of Commerce Bureau of 2-41 Economic Analysis based on gross state product. 2-42 SECTION 3. The terms of the initial members of the health 2-43 disparities task force shall be determined by lot so that: 2-44 (1) five members' terms expire February 1, 2003; and 2-45 (2) four members' terms expire February 1, 2004. 2-46 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 2-47 * * * * *