C.S.S.B. 957 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.S.B. 957
By: Van de Putte
Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Texas State Veterans Homes Program (TSVH) entered a contract with the
United States Department of Veteran Affairs (USDVA) for the provision of
pharmaceuticals to the state homes for the cost savings afforded by the
USDVA.  Because of the current requirements in the Occupations Code, the
USDVA cannot provide or stock the emergency medication kits for the Homes.
The TSVH must use outside pharmacies for these provisions, which increases
the TSVH's overall pharmaceutical costs.  C.S.S.B. 957 would allow the
TSVH to use a USDVA pharmacy or other federally operated pharmacies for
the provision and stocking of the Homes' emergency medication kits. 


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. 


SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends the Occupations Code by adding language to allow a
United States Department of Veterans Affairs pharmacy to maintain
controlled substances and dangerous drugs in an emergency medication kit
used at Texas State Veterans Homes. 

SECTION 2. Effective Date: This Act takes effect September 1, 2003, unless
it receives the votes necessary for immediate effect. 


COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The substitute modifies the original version of the bill in that it
inserts the language directly into an existing subsection in code.  The
language is the same.