1-1 By: Solis, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Lucio) H.B. No. 2614 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 4, 2001; 1-3 May 7, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Business 1-4 and Commerce; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the following 1-5 vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to a dental services pilot program in border-region 1-9 counties. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. (a) The Texas Department of Health shall develop 1-12 and implement a dental care pilot program to provide dental 1-13 services to indigent children who are residents of this state in 1-14 border-region counties selected by the department. 1-15 (b) The Texas Department of Health shall implement the pilot 1-16 program to: 1-17 (1) improve the dental health of indigent children in 1-18 the selected counties; and 1-19 (2) ensure certain children in selected counties 1-20 receive dental services. 1-21 (c) The Texas Board of Health shall establish eligibility 1-22 criteria for the pilot program. The criteria must require that 1-23 program participants: 1-24 (1) live within the identified region; 1-25 (2) have a family income at or below 185 percent of 1-26 the federal poverty level; and 1-27 (3) provide a parent's or guardian's written consent 1-28 to receipt of dental service. 1-29 (d) The department shall determine the dental services to be 1-30 provided to program participants, which may include: 1-31 (1) screening for various dental conditions; and 1-32 (2) filling cavities, cleaning teeth, and other dental 1-33 services. 1-34 (e) In designing and implementing the program, the Texas 1-35 Department of Health shall ensure that: 1-36 (1) a program participant receives, at no cost to the 1-37 participant, dental services provided through the pilot program; 1-38 and 1-39 (2) the quality of dental services provided to a 1-40 program participant is frequently monitored and evaluated. 1-41 (f) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this 1-42 Act, the Texas Board of Health shall establish eligibility criteria 1-43 as required by Subsection (c) of this section and shall establish 1-44 any other procedures or requirements necessary to implement this 1-45 Act. The requirements of Chapter 2001, Government Code, relating 1-46 to rulemaking do not apply to an action of the board under this 1-47 subsection. 1-48 (g) Not later than December 1, 2002, the Texas Department of 1-49 Health shall submit a report to the legislature regarding the 1-50 program that includes: 1-51 (1) an analysis of: 1-52 (A) the program's cost-effectiveness; and 1-53 (B) the program's effect on the quality of 1-54 dental care received by program participants; and 1-55 (2) recommendations regarding elimination, 1-56 continuation, or expansion of the program. 1-57 (h) This section expires September 1, 2003. 1-58 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 1-59 * * * * *