79R2177 MCK-D
By: Woolley, et al. H.B. No. 916
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to creating the Governor's Health Care Coordinating
Council.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle E, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 113 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 113. GOVERNOR'S HEALTH CARE COORDINATING COUNCIL
Sec. 113.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "council" means
the Governor's Health Care Coordinating Council.
Sec. 113.002. COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL. (a) The council is
within the office of the governor and shall report to the governor
or the governor's designee.
(b) The council is composed of the administrative head of
the following agencies or that person's designee:
(1) the Health and Human Services Commission;
(2) the Department of State Health Services;
(3) the Department of Aging and Disability Services;
(4) the Texas Workforce Commission;
(5) the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;
(6) the Texas Department of Insurance;
(7) the Employees Retirement System of Texas;
(8) the Teacher Retirement System of Texas;
(9) each health care related licensing agency
identified by the governor; and
(10) any other state agency identified by the governor
that purchases health care services.
Sec. 113.003. COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES. Service on the
council is an additional duty of a member's office or employment. 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) The council shall meet at
least once each year. The council may meet at other times at the
call of the presiding officer or as provided by the rules of the
council.
(b) The council is a governmental body for purposes of the
open meetings law, Chapter 551, Government Code.
Sec. 113.005. DIRECTOR; STAFF. (a) The council shall,
subject to the approval of the governor, hire a director to serve as
the chief executive officer of the council and to perform the
administrative duties of the council.
(b) The director serves at the will of the council.
(c) The director may hire staff within guidelines
established by the council.
Sec. 113.006. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY. (a) The
director or the director's designee shall 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) The policy statement must include:
(1) personnel policies, including policies relating
to recruitment, evaluation, selection, training, and promotion of
personnel, that show the intent of the council to avoid the unlawful
employment practices described by Chapter 21, Labor Code; and
(2) an analysis of the extent to which the composition
of the council's personnel is in accordance with state and federal
law and a description of reasonable methods to achieve compliance
with state and federal law.
(c) The policy statement must:
(1) be updated annually;
(2) be reviewed by the civil rights division of the
Texas Workforce Commission for compliance with Subsection (b)(1);
and
(3) be filed with the governor's office.
Sec. 113.007. QUALIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS OF CONDUCT. The
director or the director's designee shall 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) The council
shall 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) Not later than September 1 after each regular session of
the legislature, the speaker of the house of representatives and
the lieutenant governor may submit health care related issues to
the governor for referral to the council. The health care related
issues may include:
(1) disparities in quality and levels of care;
(2) problems for uninsured individuals;
(3) the cost of pharmaceuticals;
(4) the cost of health care;
(5) access to health care;
(6) the quality of health care; or
(7) any other issue related to health care.
(c) The governor shall refer health care related issues to
the council for research and analysis. The governor shall
prioritize the issues for the council. The council shall study
those issues identified by the governor and identify possible
solutions for the state or other participants in the health care
system.
(d) Not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year,
the council shall 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) The
council shall 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) The council shall monitor, research, and promote
initiatives relating to patient safety and the use of telemedicine
and telehealth.
Sec. 113.010. INFORMATION RESOURCE. (a) The council shall
establish a clearinghouse of information to assist communities in
assessing the needs of local health care systems. The council
shall:
(1) collect information on innovative health care
service delivery models and make that information available to
communities;
(2) provide information on grants and technical
assistance in the application process; and
(3) collect information on the development and testing
of quality measures.
(b) The council shall investigate the best ways to collect,
compare, and communicate the information to local communities.
SECTION 2. 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, 2005.