BILL ANALYSIS
By: Delisi
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Current law requires that when a hospital applies for or renews a license, it must provide certain information that the Texas Department of Health, (which is now the Texas Department of State Health Services "department" with the passage of HB 2292 from the 78th Legislative session) may require. This license information may then be requested by the public. This bill takes certain hospital license information currently required and specifies that it be available on the Internet for easier public access.
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
This bill adds requirements for applications for or renewals of hospital licenses. The application must contain the name and social security number of: the sole proprietor if the applicant is a sole proprietor; each general partner if the applicant is a partnership; or an individual with more than 25% ownership interest in the corporation if the applicant is a corporation. The department is required to post on their website a list of all the individuals named in the applications, and is prohibited from posting social security numbers. A license may be renewed annually after the required fee is paid and an application with the required information is submitted. The change in this act applies only to applications or renewals submitted on or after the effective date.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2005.