78R19596 JRD-D

Suspending limitations on conference committee

jurisdiction, H.B. No. 7 (Heflin/Bivins)







By:  Heflin                                           H.R. No. 1862


R E S O L U T I O N
	BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the State of 
Texas, 78th Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, That House Rule 13, 
Sections 9(a) and (b), be suspended in part as provided by House 
Rule 13, Section 9(f), to enable the conference committee appointed 
to resolve the differences on House Bill 7, relating to making 
supplemental appropriations and making reductions in current 
appropriations, to consider and take action on the following 
matters:
	(1)  House Rule 13, Sections 9(a)(1) and 9(b)(2), are 
suspended to permit the committee to decrease the amount of the 
appropriation in Section 1 of the bill so that Section 1 reads as 
follows:
	SECTION 1.  HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION:  MEDICAID 
ACUTE CARE COSTS.  Out of the Economic Stabilization Fund 0599, the 
amount of $406,748,606 is appropriated to the Health and Human 
Services Commission for use during the remainder of the state 
fiscal year ending August 31, 2003, for the purpose of providing 
services under the state Medicaid acute care program.
	Explanation: It is necessary to decrease the amount of the 
appropriation to take into account the unexpectedly more favorable 
federal match rate for Medicaid.
	(2)  House Rule 13, Section 9(a)(2), is suspended to permit 
the committee to omit Section 1(b) of the bill which reads as 
follows:
	(b)  The money described by Subsection (a) of this section 
may be expended only for the purpose described by Subsection (a) of 
this section and only if:
		(1)  Medicaid expenditures exceed otherwise available 
revenue because of changes in caseloads or costs or because of a 
lower federal match rate; and
		(2)  the Health and Human Services Commission has used 
all revenue available and appropriated to the Medicaid program, 
including but not limited to premium credits and vendor drug 
rebates.
	Explanation: It is necessary to omit the text to ensure that 
the appropriations made by the bill in relation to the state 
Medicaid program have the effect of increasing the availability of 
undedicated general revenue.
	(3)  House Rule 13, Sections 9(a)(3) and (4), are suspended 
to permit the committee to add a new Section 3 of the bill to read as 
follows:
	SECTION 3.  LAPSE TO UNDEDICATED GENERAL REVENUE.  This 
section is for informational purposes only.  It is the intent of the 
legislature that the implementation of Sections 1 and 2 of this Act 
increase the availability of undedicated general revenue by 
approximately $127,448,606 by the end of the state fiscal year 
ending August 31, 2003.
	Explanation: It is necessary to add the text to ensure that 
the appropriations made by the bill in relation to the state 
Medicaid program have the effect of increasing the availability of 
undedicated general revenue.
	(4)  House Rule 13, Section 9(b)(4), is suspended to permit 
the committee to increase the amount of the appropriation in 
Section 8(a) of the bill so that Section 8(a) reads as follows:
	(a)  Out of the Economic Stabilization Fund 0599, and in 
addition to other amounts appropriated for this purpose, the amount 
of $516,000,000 is appropriated to the Teacher Retirement System 
for use during the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 
2003, for the purpose of funding the TRS-Care retiree health 
insurance program.
	Explanation: It is necessary to increase the amount of the 
appropriation to ensure the solvency of the TRS-Care retiree health 
insurance program.
	(5)  House Rule 13, Sections 9(a)(3) and (4) and 9(b)(5), are 
suspended to permit the committee to make a new appropriation by 
adding a new Section 12 of the bill to read as follows:
	SECTION 12.  STATE COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL CONDUCT:  
MISCONDUCT PROCEEDINGS.  Out of the Economic Stabilization Fund 
0599, the amount of $44,000 is appropriated to the State Commission 
on Judicial Conduct for use during the remainder of the state fiscal 
year ending August 31, 2003, for purposes related to conducting 
misconduct proceedings.
	Explanation: It is necessary to make the new appropriation to 
allow the State Commission on Judicial Conduct to pay costs 
associated with certain misconduct proceedings.