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.