By Gray H.B. No. 2456
77R8942 T
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation of a pilot program to provide indigent
1-3 health care services funded by a county sales and use tax.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 324.021(a)-(c), Tax Code, are amended to
1-6 read as follows:
1-7 (a) A county having a population of 50,000 or less, or a
1-8 county which has adopted a pilot program as authorized under sec.
1-9 324.082 of this chapter, may adopt or abolish the sales and use tax
1-10 authorized by this chapter at an election held in the county.
1-11 (b) Unless adopted as part of a pilot program authorized
1-12 under sec. 324.082 of this chapter, a [A] county may not adopt a
1-13 tax under this chapter if as a result of the adoption of the tax
1-14 the combined rate of all sales and use taxes imposed by the county
1-15 and other political subdivisions of this state having territory in
1-16 the county would exceed two percent at any location in the county.
1-17 (c) If the voters of a county approve the adoption of the
1-18 tax at an election held on the same election date on which another
1-19 political subdivision adopts a sales and use tax or approves the
1-20 increase in the rate of its sales and use tax and as a result the
1-21 combined rate of all sales and use taxes imposed by the county and
1-22 other political subdivisions of this state having territory in the
1-23 county would exceed two percent at any location in the county, the
1-24 election to adopt a sales and use tax under this chapter has no
2-1 effect, unless the sales and use tax is adopted as part of a pilot
2-2 program authorized under sec. 324.082 of this chapter.
2-3 SECTION 2. Section 324.022, Tax Code is amended to read as
2-4 follows:
2-5 Sec. 324.022. TAX RATE. The rate of the tax authorized by
2-6 this chapter is one-half percent, unless the voters of an eligible
2-7 county adopt an indigent health care pilot program under Sec.
2-8 324.082 of this chapter, in which case the rate of the tax may not
2-9 exceed one percent.
2-10 SECTION 3. Title 3, Subtitle C, Chapter 324, Tax Code, is
2-11 amended by adding Subchapter E to read as follows:
2-12 SUBCHAPTER E. PILOT PROGRAM FOR INDIGENT HEALTH CARE
2-13 Sec. 324.082. PILOT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED FOR INDIGENT HEALTH
2-14 CARE. (a) "Indigent Health Care Pilot Program" is defined as a
2-15 pilot program adopted by a county to provide indigent health care
2-16 services and funded under the tax imposed under this chapter.
2-17 (b) The commissioners court of a county allocating tax
2-18 revenue to a pilot program authorized under this chapter may adopt
2-19 guidelines for the program which specify that:
2-20 (1) the program should provide services for residents
2-21 of the county with no health insurance who are at or below 100% of
2-22 the federal poverty level for secondary or tertiary care services
2-23 and primary care for those residents who are at or below 200% of
2-24 the federal poverty level;
2-25 (2) the benefits provided under this program shall
2-26 include primary medical services as outlined in the Indigent Health
2-27 Care Act in Chapter 61, Health and Safety Code, and secondary or
3-1 tertiary care services as outlined in the state medical assistance
3-2 program in Chapter 32 of the Human Resources Code;
3-3 (3) the program provide for case management,
3-4 utilization review, patient outreach services, patient education,
3-5 and transportation; and
3-6 (4) other appropriate goals and performance measures.
3-7 Sec. 324.083. SUNSET PROVISION. Any pilot program adopted
3-8 under this chapter shall have a sunset date six years from the date
3-9 the program first provides services to county residents, unless
3-10 otherwise authorized by the voters of the county in an election.
3-11 Sec. 324.084. STATE AUDITOR REVIEW. The state auditor shall
3-12 have the right to review any pilot program created under this
3-13 chapter and shall report the results to the Legislature.
3-14 SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect immediately
3-15 if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to
3-16 each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas
3-17 Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for
3-18 immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2001.