77R11060 KLA-D                           
         By Coleman, Kitchen, Oliveira, Wise                   H.B. No. 1537
         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1537:
         By Coleman                                        C.S.H.B. No. 1537
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a study and a pilot program regarding the provision of
 1-3     medical assistance and certain health benefits plan coverage for
 1-4     children of migrant or seasonal agricultural workers.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
 1-7     amended by adding Section 531.055 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 531.055.  MIGRANT CARE NETWORK STUDY; PILOT PROGRAM. (a)
 1-9     In this section, "migrant or seasonal agricultural worker" means an
1-10     individual who:
1-11                 (1)  is working or available for work seasonally or
1-12     temporarily in primarily an agricultural or agriculture-related
1-13     industry; and
1-14                 (2)  moves one or more times from one place to another
1-15     to perform seasonal or temporary employment or to be available for
1-16     seasonal or temporary employment.
1-17           (b)  The commission shall conduct a study regarding the
1-18     feasibility of contracting with one or more existing networks of
1-19     health care providers located in this state and in other states to
1-20     establish a migrant care network to provide health care services to
1-21     children of migrant or seasonal agricultural workers who are
1-22     residents of this state and intend to return to this state at the
1-23     conclusion of temporary or seasonal employment in another state and
1-24     who are:
 2-1                 (1)  recipients of medical assistance under Chapter 32,
 2-2     Human Resources Code; or
 2-3                 (2)  enrollees in the child health plan program under
 2-4     Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code, or the health benefits plan
 2-5     program under Chapter 63, Health and Safety Code.
 2-6           (c)  In conducting the study under this section, the
 2-7     commission shall:
 2-8                 (1)  consider migrant work patterns to determine in
 2-9     which states the migrant care network is most needed to adequately
2-10     provide the medical assistance, child health plan coverage, or
2-11     health benefits plan coverage;
2-12                 (2)  examine the necessity and fiscal effect of
2-13     entering into interstate agreements to establish the migrant care
2-14     network; and
2-15                 (3)  determine whether ensuring the provision of health
2-16     care services under the medical assistance program, the child
2-17     health plan program, and the health benefits plan program for
2-18     children of migrant or seasonal agricultural workers during the
2-19     time in which a child is outside of this state is necessary to
2-20     maintain continuity of care for the child.
2-21           (d)  If, based on the results of the study under this
2-22     section, the commission determines that the establishment of a
2-23     migrant care network is feasible, the commission shall develop and
2-24     implement a pilot program for that purpose.  The commission by rule
2-25     shall establish eligibility criteria for participation in the pilot
2-26     program.
2-27           (e)  The commission shall report its findings and
 3-1     recommendations regarding the establishment of a migrant care
 3-2     network to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the standing
 3-3     committees of the senate and house of representatives having
 3-4     primary jurisdiction over the commission.  The commission shall
 3-5     make the report:
 3-6                 (1)  on completion of the study required by this
 3-7     section if the commission determines that the establishment of the
 3-8     migrant care network is not feasible; or
 3-9                 (2)  on implementation of the pilot program required by
3-10     this section if the commission determines that the establishment of
3-11     the migrant care network is feasible.
3-12           (f)  This section expires September 1, 2003.
3-13           SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act a
3-14     state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
3-15     federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
3-16     the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
3-17     authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
3-18     waiver or authorization is granted.
3-19           SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.