S.B. 1615 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


S.B. 1615
By: Ellis, Rodney
Human Services
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibits recipients of federally funded
assistance from being excluded from or discriminated against based on
race, color, or national origin. The Office of Civil Rights states that in
order to be in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, consumers
of federally funded assistance programs should be provided information in
the language of their understanding. S.B. 1615 requires the Health and
Human Services Commission to create an interpreter services pilot program
for Medicaid recipients. Matching funds may be contributed by
participating local government entities. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 32B, Human Resources Code, by adding Section
32.061, as follows: Sec. 32.061. LANGUAGE INTERPRETER SERVICES PILOT
PROGRAM.  
(a) Requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to establish
a pilot program to provide recipients of medical assistance with oral and
written language interpreter services in accordance with federal law and
applicable publications of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services and the Office for Civil Rights of the United States Department
of Health and Human Services.  
(b) Requires HHSC to establish the pilot program through local
governmental entities in sites determined by HHSC. Requires the sites to
include certain hospital districts.  
(c) Requires HHSC to ensure that the pilot program is financed using
certain money.  
(d) Authorizes a participating local governmental entity may provide money
to HHSC by certification or intergovernmental transfer to finance the
pilot program as described by Subsection (c) (1).  
(e) Requires HHSC, not later than January 1, 2005, to evaluate the pilot
program and report to the 79th Legislature on the effectiveness of the
program and the feasibility of expanding the program statewide.  
(f) Provides that this section expires September 1, 2005. 
SECTION 2. Authorizes a state agency to delay implementing a provision of
the Act until a requested federal waiver or authorization necessary to
implement that provision is granted.  
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2003.