H.B. No. 952




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. ______________________________ ______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.B. No. 952 was passed by the House on April 22, 2005, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.B. No. 952 was passed by the Senate on May 19, 2005, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. ______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: _____________________ Date _____________________ Governor