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.
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