By Bernsen S.B. No. 216
77R1517 MTB-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to grants from the telecommunications infrastructure fund
1-3 for telemedicine services.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Sections 57.042(7) and (11), Utilities Code, are
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 (7) "Health [Public not-for-profit health] care
1-8 facility" means a rural or regional hospital or other entity such
1-9 as a rural health clinic [that:]
1-10 [(A) is supported by local or regional tax
1-11 revenue;]
1-12 [(B) is a certified not-for-profit health
1-13 corporation, under federal law; or]
1-14 [(C) is an ambulatory health care center].
1-15 (11) "Telemedicine":
1-16 (A) means medical services delivered by
1-17 telecommunications technologies to rural or underserved [public
1-18 not-for-profit] health care facilities or primary health care
1-19 facilities in collaboration with an academic health center and an
1-20 associated teaching hospital or tertiary center or with another
1-21 [public not-for-profit] health care facility; and
1-22 (B) includes consultive services, diagnostic
1-23 services, interactive video consultation, teleradiology,
1-24 telepathology, and distance education for working health care
2-1 professionals.
2-2 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-3 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-4 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
2-5 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-6 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.