C.S.H.B. 2450 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 2450
By: Chavez
Border and International Affairs
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 


The border currently has an acute shortage of nurses and physicians who
perform primary and preventive care. The federal government has designated
most counties along the border as medically underserved areas and health
professional shortage areas due to this lack of health care professionals.
This shortage is in addition to the fact that the border experiences rates
of infectious diseases and diabetes that are higher than the state and
national average. For example, deaths from diabetes are 55 percent more
frequent along the border than in the rest of the state.  Currently, over
a third of the citizens along the Texas-Mexico border are uninsured.
C.S.H.B. 2450 establishes the Border Health Foundation within the Office
of Border Health to raise money from private sources to finance health
programs on the border. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. C.S.H.B. 2450 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the
Office of Border Health (office) under the Texas Department of Health to
establish the Border Foundation (foundation) as a nonprofit corporation
that qualifies as an organization exempt from federal income tax under
Section 501(C)(3), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The bill
sets forth the powers and the duties of the foundation. The bill provides
for the appointment, membership, and duties of a five-member board of
directors of the foundation.  The bill exempts property, income, and all
other assets of the foundation from taxation by state and political
subdivisions of the state. 

C.S.H.B. 2450 requires the office and the foundation to enter into a
memorandum of understanding that requires the directors and staff of the
foundation to report to the executive director and executive committee of
the office, that allows the office to provide staff functions to and
expend funds on the foundation, and that outlines the financial
contributions to be made to the foundation from funds obtained from grants
and other sources. 

C.S.H.B. 2450 also provides for the maintenance of financial records and
reports of the foundation. The bill requires the foundation to submit to
the office a report itemizing all income and expenditures and describing
all activities of the foundation during the preceding fiscal year, no
later than the 60th day after the last day of the fiscal year. 

SECTION 2. C.S.H.B. 2450  requires the office to create the foundation not
later than June 1, 2004, and provides a schedule and guidelines for
initial appointments to the board of directors.  

SECTION 3. Effective Date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2003.


 
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The substitute amends the original by making non-substantive technical
changes.