H.B. 2373 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


H.B. 2373
By: Phillips
Human Services
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Texas Veterans Land Board owns four Texas State Veterans Homes.  They
are located in Temple, Bonham, Big Spring and Floresville.  The Texas
State Veterans Homes are licensed under Chapter 242, Health and Safety
Code.  Section 242.096 of the code establishes an emergency assistance
fund of $10,000,000 to be used to meet the basic needs of residents should
a licensed home come into receivership.  Currently under provisions of the
Health and Safety Code, the Texas Department of Human Services is
authorized to assess a fee against all licensed convalescent or nursing
homes if the corpus of the fund drops below $10,000,000, and the fee may
be assessed more than once each year.  House Bill 2373 exempts the Texas
State Veterans' Homes program from the trust fund fee assessment under the
Health and Safety Code. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

The bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority
to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 2373 amends the Health and Safety Code to exempt the Texas
State Veterans' Homes program from the trust fund fee assessment under the
Health and Safety Code. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage if the Act receives the necessary vote, or if the Act does not
receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2003.