78R8011 PB-D

By:  Shapleigh                                                    S.B. No. 1079



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a study by The University of Texas School of Public 
Health at Houston regarding persons in this state who do not have 
health insurance coverage.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 73, Education Code, is 
amended by adding Section 73.203 to read as follows:
	Sec. 73.203.  STUDY ON UNINSURED PERSONS.  (a)  The school 
shall conduct an ongoing study regarding persons in this state who 
do not have health insurance coverage.  The study must include:
		(1)  an examination of the probable causes of lack of 
coverage;      
		(2)  appropriate demographic analyses,  including 
analysis of:       
			(A)  uninsureds by race, gender, color, age, 
employment and marital status, and any other analogous factor 
determined appropriate by the school; and
			(B)  the location of uninsureds, including any 
concentration of uninsureds in particular geographic areas of this 
state; and
		(3)  any other issues determined appropriate by the 
school or specified by the legislature or the board of regents.
	(b)  The school shall report the results of the study in 
writing to the legislature not later than December 1 of each 
even-numbered year.  The report must include any policy 
recommendations developed by the school regarding effective ways 
for this state to deal with the issue of  lack of health insurance 
coverage and may include proposed legislation designed to implement 
the policy recommendations.
	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.