SRC-LBB, AMY S.B. 957 78(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterS.B. 957 By: Van de Putte Veteran Affairs & Military Installations 8/24/2003 Enrolled DIGEST AND PURPOSE Currently, the Texas State Veterans Homes Program (TSVH) is contracting with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) to provide pharmaceuticals to state veterans homes, to take advantage of cost savings. However, Texas law does not allow the USDVA to provide or stock the emergency medication kits for the homes; TSVH must use outside pharmacies for these services, which increases the TSVH's overall pharmaceutical costs. S.B. 957 authorizes a veterans home to contract with a USDVA pharmacy, or another federally operated pharmacy, to maintain a veterans home's emergency medical kit. 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 Subsection (a), Occupations Code, to authorize a United States Department of Veterans Affairs pharmacy or another federally operated pharmacy to maintain controlled substances and dangerous drugs in an emergency medication kit used at an institution that is licensed under Chapter 242, Health and Safety Code, and is a veterans home, as defined by Section 164.002, Natural Resources Code. Makes a nonsubstantive change. SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.