78R8727 PB/JMM-D

By:  Bivins                                                       S.B. No. 1869



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to statutory authority to reduce appropriations made by 
the legislature to certain regulatory entities.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  BALANCED BUDGET AUTHORITY.  Notwithstanding any 
statute to the contrary, the legislature, in its discretion, may 
determine the amount of each appropriation of state funds.  The 
amounts required by statute for entities that receive state funds 
under Article VIII of the General Appropriations Act may be reduced 
or eliminated in order to achieve a balanced budget.
	SECTION 2.  STATE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS.  The 
State Office of Administrative Hearings shall reduce expenditures 
by eliminating the billing rate charged to referring agencies by 
the office under Section 2003.024, Government Code, to cover excess 
workload expenses.
	SECTION 3.  TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE.  The Texas 
Department of Insurance shall reduce expenditures by eliminating 
the amount paid by the state to the National Association of 
Insurance Commissioners for the information required to be 
submitted to that association under Section 802.052, Insurance 
Code, as effective June 1, 2003.
	SECTION 4.  TEXAS STATE BOARD OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS.  The 
Texas State Board of Medical Examiners shall reduce expenditures by 
eliminating:
		(1)  the physician assistant loan reimbursement 
program, as described by Section 204.104, Occupations Code, under 
the Office of Rural Community Affairs;
		(2)  the duty to perform certain internal audits;  and                        
		(3)  the board's newsletter and providing the 
information contained in the newsletter on the Internet.
	SECTION 5.  TEXAS RACING COMMISSION.  The Texas Racing 
Commission shall reduce expenditures by, among other ways, 
allocating:
		(1)  the Texas-bred program funds described by Section 
9.03, Texas Racing Act (Article 179e, Vernon's Texas Civil 
Statutes), to the state horse breed registries described by Section 
6.08(i), Texas Racing Act (Article 179e, Vernon's Texas Civil 
Statutes); and
		(2)  the appropriate funds under Section 6.09, Texas 
Racing Act (Article 179e, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), for 
Texas-bred greyhound races to the  state greyhound breed registry 
described by Section 10.05, Texas Racing Act (Article 179e, 
Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes).
	SECTION 6.  TEXAS WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION.  The 
Texas Workers' Compensation Commission shall reduce expenditures 
by:
		(1)  requiring a nonprevailing party in a medical 
dispute resolution conducted under Section 413.031, Labor Code, to 
pay the cost of the medical dispute resolution;
		(2)  performing audits of an insurance carrier under 
Section 414.004, Labor Code, at the commission's offices rather 
than the offices of the insurance carrier;  and
		(3)  if a review or audit reveals a violation of 
Subtitle A, Title 5, Labor Code, or a rule of the commission, 
requiring health care providers and insurance carriers to pay the 
reasonable costs of subsequent reviews or audits, including:
			(A)  reviews by the commission's medical quality 
review panel under Sections 413.0511 and 413.0512, Labor Code;
			(B)  health care provider reviews by the 
commission;  and                  
			(C)  audits of insurance carriers for medical 
compliance.                  
	SECTION 7.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  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.