BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 916
79R2177 MCK-D By: Woolley (Nelson)
AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
H.B. 916 creates the Governor's Health Care Coordinating Council. The goal of the council is to bring together relevant affected parties in an attempt to identify and fix problems in the private and public sectors of the health care system.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subtitle E, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, by adding Chapter 113, as follows:
CHAPTER 113. GOVERNOR'S HEALTH CARE COORDINATING COUNCIL
Sec. 113.001. DEFINITION. Defines "council."
Sec. 113.002. COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL. (a) Provides that the Governor's Health Care Coordinating Council (council) is within the office of the governor and requires the council to report to the governor or the governor's designee.
(b) Sets forth certain persons who compose the council.
Sec. 113.003. COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES. Provides that service on the council is an additional duty of a member's office or employment. Provides that a member of the council is not entitled to compensation but is entitled to reimbursement of travel expenses incurred by the member while conducting the business of the council, as provided in the General Appropriations Act.
Sec. 113.004. MEETINGS. (a) Requires the council to meet at least once each year. Authorizes the council to meet at other times at the call of the presiding officer or as provided by the rules of the council.
(b) Provides that the council is a governmental body for purposes of the open meetings law, Chapter 551, Government Code.
Sec. 113.005. DIRECTOR; STAFF. (a) Requires the council, subject to the approval of the governor, to hire a director to serve as the chief executive officer of the council and to perform the administrative duties of the council.
(b) Provides that the director serves at the will of the council.
(c) Authorizes the director to hire staff within guidelines established by the council.
Sec. 113.006. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY. (a) Requires the director or the director's designee to prepare and maintain a written policy statement that implements a program of equal employment opportunity to ensure that all personnel decisions are made without regard to race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or national origin.
(b) Requires the policy statement to include certain information.
(c) Requires the policy statement to be updated annually, be reviewed by the civil rights division of the Texas Workforce Commission for compliance with Subsection (b)(1), and be filed with the governor's office.
Sec. 113.007. QUALIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS OF CONDUCT. Requires the director or the director's designee to provide to members of the council and to council employees, as often as necessary, information regarding the requirements for office or employment under this chapter, including information regarding a person's responsibilities under applicable laws relating to standards of conduct for state officers or employees.
Sec. 113.008. RESEARCH PROJECTS; REPORT. (a) Requires the council to identify gaps, flaws, inefficiencies, or problems in the health care system that create systemic or substantial negative impacts on the participants in the health care system, study those problems, and identify possible solutions for the state or other participants in the system.
(b) Authorizes the speaker of the house of representatives and the lieutenant governor, not later than September 1 after each regular session of the legislature, to submit health care related issues to the governor for referral to the council. Authorizes the health care related issues to include certain topics.
(c) Requires the governor to refer health care related issues to the council for research and analysis. Requires the governor to prioritize the issues for the council. Requires the council to study those issues identified by the governor and identify possible solutions for the state or other participants in the health care system.
(d) Requires the council, not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year, to submit a report of the council's findings and recommendations to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives.
Sec. 113.009. USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN HEALTH CARE. (a) Requires the council to facilitate and promote the use of technology in the health care system as a way to decrease administrative costs and to increase and improve the quality of health care.
(b) Requires the council to monitor, research, and promote initiatives relating to patient safety and the use of telemedicine and telehealth.
Sec. 113.010. INFORMATION RESOURCE. (a) Requires the council to establish a clearinghouse of information to assist communities in assessing the needs of local health care systems. Requires the council to collect and provide certain information related to health care service delivery.
(b) Requires the council to investigate the best ways to collect, compare, and communicate the information to local communities.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2005.