79R10939 MSE-F


By:  Delisi                                                       H.B. No. 952



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a pilot program to provide health services to state 
employees in state office complexes.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 6, Government Code, is amended 
by adding Chapter 671 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 671.  HEALTH SERVICES IN STATE OFFICE COMPLEXES
	Sec. 671.001.  NURSE PRACTITIONER IN STATE OFFICE COMPLEXES; 
PILOT PROGRAM.  (a)  To reduce the cost of health care and increase 
the wellness and productivity of state employees, the Employees 
Retirement System of Texas shall develop and implement a pilot 
program to make available a licensed advanced practice nurse to 
provide authorized on-site health services at a selected location 
to state employees who choose to make use of the services.
	(b)  The pilot program must provide for the following:                  
		(1)  a licensed advanced practice nurse as defined by 
Section 301.152, Occupations Code, who is employed by the state or 
whose services are acquired by contract, who will be located at a 
state office complex;
		(2)  a licensed physician, who is employed by a state 
governmental entity for purposes other than the pilot program or 
whose services are acquired by contract, who will perform all 
supervisory functions described by Section 157.052(e), Occupations 
Code;
		(3)  appropriate office space and equipment for the 
advanced practice nurse to provide basic medical care to employees 
at the state office complex where the nurse is located; and
		(4)  professional liability insurance covering 
services provided by the advanced practice nurse.
	(c)  The board of trustees of the Employees Retirement System 
of Texas shall adopt rules necessary for implementation of this 
section and shall seek the assistance of state agencies as 
necessary for the implementation of this chapter.
	(d)  The Employees Retirement System of Texas shall 
determine whether it is more efficient to pay directly for some or 
all of the expenses associated with implementing this chapter or to 
reimburse expenses through an interagency agreement as the expenses 
are incurred by an agency participating in the program.
	(e)  The Employees Retirement System of Texas may order the 
pilot program continued or expanded to cover more state office 
complexes on finding:
		(1)  the pilot program has proven beneficial in meeting 
the health care needs of state employees; and
		(2)  continuation or expansion of the pilot program is 
economically beneficial.
	SECTION 2.  (a)  As soon as possible after the effective date 
of this Act, the board of trustees of the Employees Retirement 
System of Texas shall adopt rules as required by Section 671.001, 
Government Code, as added by this Act.
	(b)  Not later than the 90th day after the date rules are 
adopted in accordance with Subsection (a) of this section, the 
Employees Retirement System of Texas shall begin the pilot program 
at the headquarters of the Texas Commission on Environmental 
Quality, located on the Park 35 Campus in Austin, Texas.
	(c)  Not later than December 31, 2006, the Employees 
Retirement System of Texas shall issue a report containing a 
summary of employee participation rates, a costs and benefits 
analysis, and legislative recommendations concerning the future of 
the pilot program established under Chapter 671, Government Code, 
as added by this Act, to the:
		(1)  governor;                                                                
		(2)  lieutenant governor;                                                     
		(3)  speaker of the house of representatives;                                 
		(4)  standing committees of the senate and house of 
representatives having jurisdiction over state spending issues; 
and
		(5)  standing committees of the senate and house of 
representatives having jurisdiction over health or human services 
issues.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.