H.B. 2453 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


H.B. 2453
By: Kolkhorst
County Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently a nonprofit corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship,
that manages a hospital or provides services as a part of a rural health
network, qualifies as a "hospital district management contractor" under
Sections 285.071 and 285.072 of the Health and Safety Code.  This allows
for the contractors and their employees to be covered under the same
liability as the hospital district in Section 101.023 (b) of the Civil
Practices Code.  The code states that employers and their workers are
covered for up to $100,000 per each person and $300,000 per occurrence and
$100,000 for property damage.  

The purpose of H.B. 2453 is to provide the same provisions for nonprofit
corporations that either operate an acute care hospital in a hospital
facility it leases from a hospital district, and/or provide indigent
health care services under contract with the hospital district. 


RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2453 amends Sections 285.071 and 285.072 of the Health and Safety
Code to include nonprofit corporations that either operate an acute care
hospital in a hospital facility it leases from a hospital district, and/or
provide indigent health care services under contract with the hospital
district.  This allows nonprofit corporations to be covered under Chapters
101 and 102 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code regarding liability.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.