BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1749
By: Janek
AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
As proposed, S.B. 1749 creates a health workforce planning partnership to improve access to an appropriate and effective health workforce. To achieve this purpose it is essential that appropriate health workforce planning activities are undertaken and implemented; and funding opportunities, whether federal, state, private, public or a combination thereof, are researched, identified, sought, obtained, and maximized. The purpose of this legislation is to ensure the future health workforce is adequate in number for the population of Texas.
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. TEXAS HEALTH WORKFORCE PLANNING PARTNERSHIP
Sec. 113.001. POLICY; PURPOSE. (a) Provides that the policy of this state and the purpose of this chapter are to ensure that health workforce needs are adequate in number to serve citizens and improve access to an appropriate and effective workforce.
(b) Provides that to achieve this purpose it is essential to take certain actions.
Sec. 113.002. DEFINITION. Defines "partnership."
Sec. 113.003. COMPOSITION OF PARTNERSHIP. (a) Provides that the Texas Health Workforce Planning Partnership (partnership) is within the Department of State Health Services. Requires the partnership to report to the commissioner of public health or the commissioner's designee.
(b) Provides that the partnership is composed of the administrative head of certain agencies or that person's designee.
Sec. 113.004. COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES. Provides that service on the partnership is and additional duty of a member's office or employment. Provides that a member of the partnership is not entitled to compensation but is entitled to reimbursement of travel expenses incurred by the member while conducting the business of the partnership, as provided in the General Appropriations Act.
Sec. 113.005. SUPPORT STAFF. Requires the partnership's member agencies to provide the staff for the partnership.
Sec. 113.006. MEETINGS. (a) Requires the partnership to meet at least once each year. Authorizes the partnership to meet at other times at the call of the presiding officer or as provided by the rules of the partnership.
(b) Provides that the partnership is a governmental body for the purposes of the open meetings law, Chapter 551 (Open Meetings), Government Code.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2005.