1-1 By: Shapleigh S.B. No. 496 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed January 31, 2001; February 5, 2001, 1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Business and Commerce; 1-4 March 15, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, 1-5 Nays 0; March 15, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to a study of barriers to providing binational health 1-9 benefit plan coverage. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. (a) The Texas Department of Insurance and the 1-12 Texas Department of Health shall jointly study the provision in 1-13 this state of health benefit plan coverage to individuals who are 1-14 not residents of this state or another state of the United States. 1-15 The study must: 1-16 (1) identify legal and practical impediments to 1-17 providing binational health benefit plan coverage; and 1-18 (2) include recommendations to facilitate provision of 1-19 binational health benefit plan coverage. 1-20 (b) The Commissioner of Insurance and the Texas Board of 1-21 Health may jointly appoint an advisory committee under Chapter 1-22 2110, Government Code, to assist the departments in conducting the 1-23 study required by this Act. 1-24 (c) Not later than November 1, 2002, the Texas Department 1-25 of Health and the Texas Department of Insurance shall jointly issue 1-26 a report describing the departments' recommendations, including 1-27 proposals for legislation. The departments shall file the report 1-28 with the governor, lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the 1-29 house of representatives. 1-30 SECTION 2. This Act expires December 31, 2002. 1-31 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 1-32 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 1-33 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 1-34 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 1-35 Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 1-36 * * * * *