By Solis, Chavez, Raymond, Pickett, Flores H.B. No. 2614 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to a dental services pilot program in border-region 1-3 counties. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. (a) The Texas Department of Health shall develop 1-6 and implement a dental care pilot program to provide dental 1-7 services to indigent children who are residents of this state in 1-8 border-region counties selected by the department. 1-9 (b) The Texas Department of Health shall implement the pilot 1-10 program to: 1-11 (1) improve the dental health of indigent children in 1-12 the selected counties; and 1-13 (2) ensure certain children in selected counties 1-14 receive dental services. 1-15 (c) The Texas Board of Health shall establish eligibility 1-16 criteria for the pilot program. The criteria must require that 1-17 program participants: 1-18 (1) live within the identified region; 1-19 (2) have a family income at or below 185 percent of 1-20 the federal poverty level; and 1-21 (3) provide a parent's or guardian's written consent 1-22 to receipt of dental service. 1-23 (d) The department shall determine the dental services to be 1-24 provided to program participants, which may include: 2-1 (1) screening for various dental conditions; and 2-2 (2) filling cavities, cleaning teeth, and other dental 2-3 services. 2-4 (e) In designing and implementing the program, the Texas 2-5 Department of Health shall ensure that: 2-6 (1) a program participant receives, at no cost to the 2-7 participant, dental services provided through the pilot program; 2-8 and 2-9 (2) the quality of dental services provided to a 2-10 program participant is frequently monitored and evaluated. 2-11 (f) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this 2-12 Act, the Texas Board of Health shall establish eligibility criteria 2-13 as required by Subsection (c) of this section and shall establish 2-14 any other procedures or requirements necessary to implement this 2-15 Act. The requirements of Chapter 2001, Government Code, relating 2-16 to rulemaking do not apply to an action of the board under this 2-17 subsection. 2-18 (g) Not later than December 1, 2002, the Texas Department of 2-19 Health shall submit a report to the legislature regarding the 2-20 program that includes: 2-21 (1) an analysis of: 2-22 (A) the program's cost-effectiveness; and 2-23 (B) the program's effect on the quality of 2-24 dental care received by program participants; and 2-25 (2) recommendations regarding elimination, 2-26 continuation, or expansion of the program. 2-27 (h) This section expires September 1, 2003. 3-1 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.