SRC-LBB, LBB C.S.S.B. 121 78(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 121
78R5604 YDB-DBy: Lindsay
State Affairs
2/18/2003
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently,  the governing board of a municipal hospital, a municipal
hospital authority, a hospital district, or a nonprofit health maintenance
organization created by one or more community centers is not required to
conduct open meetings to discuss pricing or financial planning relating to
bids or negotiations for the arrangement or provision of services or
product lines. However, some hospital district health maintenance
organization boards are composed of a majority of public sector members,
which places them under the jurisdiction of the Open Meetings Act.
C.S.S.B. 121 would clarify that the board of a hospital district health
maintenance organization that is subject to the Open Meetings Act is able
to go into a closed session to discuss financial matters in the same
manner as the above listed entities.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 551.085, Government Code, by adding Subsections
(a) and (b), as follows: 

 (a)  Creates this subsection from existing text.

(b)  Provides that the governing board of a health maintenance
organization created under Section 281.0515 (Procedures for Health
Maintenance Organization), Health and Safety Code, is not required to
conduct an open meeting to discuss pricing or financial planning
information relating to services or product lines. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.



SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTION 1.  Creates Subsection (a) from existing text and deletes
references to a health maintenance organization created under Section
281.0515, Health and Safety Code.  Adds Subsection (b) and makes
conforming changes. 

SECTION 2.  No change.