1-1 By: Bernsen S.B. No. 216
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed January 10, 2001; January 16, 2001,
1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Education;
1-4 March 19, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; March 19, 2001,
1-6 sent to printer.)
1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 216 By: Sibley
1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-9 AN ACT
1-10 relating to the funding of telecommunications infrastructure for
1-11 telemedicine services.
1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13 SECTION 1. Subdivision (11), Section 57.042, Utilities Code,
1-14 is amended to read as follows:
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, for-profit rural hospitals,
1-19 or primary health care facilities in collaboration with an academic
1-20 health center and an associated teaching hospital or tertiary
1-21 center or with another public not-for-profit health care facility
1-22 or for-profit rural hospital; and
1-23 (B) includes consultive services, diagnostic
1-24 services, interactive video consultation, teleradiology,
1-25 telepathology, and distance education for working health care
1-26 professionals.
1-27 SECTION 2. Section 57.047, Utilities Code, is amended by
1-28 adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
1-29 (g) In awarding a grant or loan under this section for a
1-30 telemedicine project the board shall:
1-31 (1) give priority to:
1-32 (A) a public not-for-profit health care facility
1-33 that provides care to the medically underserved or uninsured; and
1-34 (B) a for-profit rural hospital that
1-35 demonstrates a strong record of providing care to the medically
1-36 underserved or uninsured; and
1-37 (2) adopt rules prescribing the criteria a for-profit
1-38 rural hospital must meet regarding service to the medically
1-39 underserved or uninsured under Subdivision (1)(B).
1-40 SECTION 3. Subsection (a), Section 58.253, Utilities Code,
1-41 is amended to read as follows:
1-42 (a) On customer request, an electing company shall provide
1-43 private network services to:
1-44 (1) an educational institution;
1-45 (2) a library;
1-46 (3) a nonprofit telemedicine center;
1-47 (4) a public or not-for-profit hospital;
1-48 (5) a project funded by the telecommunications
1-49 infrastructure fund under Subchapter C, Chapter 57, except that an
1-50 electing company may not be required to provide private network
1-51 services to a for-profit rural hospital; [or]
1-52 (6) a legally constituted consortium or group of
1-53 entities listed in this subsection; or
1-54 (7) an ambulatory health care center, as defined by
1-55 Section 57.042.
1-56 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-57 * * * * *