78R12485 YDB-F


By:  Chavez                                                       H.B. No. 2448

Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2448:                                   

By:  Griggs                                                   C.S.H.B. No. 2448


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of the Border Health and Education Partnership. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subtitle E, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Chapter 112 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 112. BORDER HEALTH AND EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP
Sec. 112.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: (1) "Advisory committee" means the advisory committee for the partnership established under Section 112.004. (2) "Partnership" means the Border Health and Education Partnership. (3) "Primary health care services" has the meaning assigned by Section 31.002. (4) "Texas-Mexico border region" has the meaning assigned by Section 2056.002, Government Code. Sec. 112.002. MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREA. The department shall determine which areas of the Texas-Mexico border region are medically underserved areas for purposes of this chapter based on the medical needs of an area's residents and the access that residents of the area have to medical care and public health services. Sec. 112.003. CREATION AND PURPOSE OF BORDER HEALTH AND EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP. (a) The department shall establish the Border Health and Education Partnership. (b) The purpose of the partnership is to provide students of health professions, health educators, public health practitioners, and active and retired licensed or certified health professionals the opportunity to participate in public service programs that enhance access to primary health care services to individuals or families in the Texas-Mexico border region. Sec. 112.004. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) An advisory committee is established to consider and make recommendations to the department on all matters relating to the partnership. (b) The advisory committee consists of: (1) the commissioner or the commissioner's representative; (2) a person appointed by the governor to serve as chair of the committee; (3) one representative other than a health educator from the institutions of higher education that have degree programs for the health professions, appointed by the commissioner of higher education; (4) one physician practicing in a medically underserved area in the Texas-Mexico border region, appointed by the commissioner; (5) one registered nurse practicing in a medically underserved area in the Texas-Mexico border region, appointed by the commissioner; (6) one health educator from an institution of higher education that has degree programs for the health professions, appointed by the commissioner of higher education; (7) one public representative who resides in a medically underserved area in the Texas-Mexico border region, appointed by the governor; (8) one state representative appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and (9) one state senator appointed by the lieutenant governor. (c) The advisory committee shall develop and recommend to the department for implementation a program to coordinate public and private resources that promote community service by linking health professionals and supervised students with existing health education and primary health care services. Sec. 112.005. STUDIES AND PILOT PROJECTS. (a) The advisory committee shall develop and recommend to the department for implementation studies and pilot projects designed to coordinate and use existing public and private resources to provide improved access to primary health care services for populations in the Texas-Mexico border region. The studies and pilot projects shall examine ways to encourage schools and other education programs that train public health professionals and health professionals to incorporate public service requirements or electives into the curriculum and to promote incentives for participation in the partnership. Under the supervision of appropriate licensed or certified personnel, and in cooperation with appropriate educational authorities, students shall be encouraged to participate in pilot projects. (b) Opportunities for participation in pilot projects should be expanded for: (1) students enrolled in secondary or postsecondary schools and educational programs; and (2) current and retired licensed health care providers, including military and military reserve medical personnel. Sec. 112.006. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. The department, after considering recommendations of the advisory committee, shall: (1) conduct studies and pilot projects as described by Section 112.005; (2) apply for grants from private sources, existing state programs, and the federal government to implement studies and pilot projects under Section 112.005; (3) enter into agreements with private, state, and federal entities as appropriate to accomplish the purposes of the partnership; (4) study the feasibility of using the services of retired health care providers and other licensed and certified health care providers, including conducting a study that addresses methods of providing liability coverage for retired licensed health care providers; (5) study the feasibility of providing continuing education credit for licensed and certified health care practitioners participating in pilot projects; (6) study the feasibility of establishing a Texas nonprofit corporation to operate the partnership in the event the department is authorized by statute to do so; (7) report on the program as appropriate to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives; (8) recommend legislation to authorize giving public incentives to program participants; (9) appoint a program director to initiate, implement, and administer the studies and pilot projects conducted under this chapter; and (10) identify exiting public and private programs with goals similar to those of the partnership and study the feasibility of collaborating with the programs and of integrating partnership projects into the existing programs. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2003.