BILL ANALYSIS
By: Chavez
Border and International Affairs
Committee Report (Substituted)
The Border Health Institute was established by House Bill 2025 of the 76th Legislature with the purpose to assist the international, national, regional, and local health-related institutions working in the Texas-Mexico border region to conduct and facilitate research in fields of study affecting public health in the border region, including research related to diabetes, Hispanic health issues, infectious diseases, emerging infections, environmental health issues, and children's health issues. The Institute is a consortium of public and private entities and is located in El Paso.
The committee substitute to House Bill 2796 requires the Border Health Institute to conduct a border area health care delivery study and provide any recommendations for legislative action.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
SECTION 1 Chapter 151, Education Code, is amended by adding a new section 151.011 requiring the Border Health Institute to conduct a border area health care delivery study.
The study shall include the following:
· ways in which non-physician health care providers are being used to provide health care services;
· the success of border areas in recruiting and retaining physicians and non-physician health care providers;
· if non-physician health care providers could, within the scope of the health care provider’s license, certification, or registration, supplement the provision of health care services;
· whether non-physician health care providers in traditional or nontraditional settings would provide a benefit in the delivery of health care services; and
· recommendations concerning pilot programs to test and implement the study recommendations.
In performing the study, the Institute shall consult with a variety of the health care practitioners in the border area, including emergency medical service providers, physicians, hospitals, optometrists, podiatrists, advanced nurse practitioners, chiropractors, health clinics, and family planning clinics.
The "border area" is defined as each county any part of which is located within 250 miles of the Texas-Mexico border.
The Institute shall report the results of the study to the governor, lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house representatives, and members of the legislature by January 1, 2007. The report must include any proposed legislation the Institute determines will facilitate the improvement of the delivery of health care in border areas.
Section 151.011, Education Code, as added by this Act, expires September 1, 2007.
SECTION 2 The Act takes effect on September 1, 2005.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2005
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The committee substitute is a Legislative Council draft and makes one clarifying grammatical change concerning the issues the institute shall cover in the study.
The committee substitute changes the definition of border area to each county any part of which is located within 250 miles of the Texas-Mexico border from each county any part of which is located within 100 kilometers of the Texas-Mexico border.