By:  Janek                                                        S.B. No. 1749


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to creating a health workforce planning partnership.                 
	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.  TEXAS HEALTH WORKFORCE PLANNING PARTNERSHIP
	Sec. 113.001.  DEFINITION.  In this chapter, "partnership" 
means the Texas Health Workforce Planning Partnership.
	Sec. 113.002.  DUTIES OF PARTNERSHIP.  The partnership 
shall:         
		(1)  work to:                                                          
			(A)  ensure that future health workforce levels 
are adequate in number to serve the needs of the residents of this 
state; and
			(B)  improve patient access to and the 
effectiveness of the health workforce;
		(2)  undertake and implement appropriate health 
workforce planning activities; and
		(3)  research, identify, seek, obtain, and maximize 
health workforce funding opportunities, including federal, state, 
private, and public sources.
	Sec.  113.003.  COMPOSITION OF PARTNERSHIP.  (a)  The 
partnership is within the Department of State Health Services and 
shall report to the commissioner of state health services or the 
commissioner's designee.
	(b)  The partnership is composed of:                                    
		(1)  the administrative head of the following agencies 
or that person's designee:
			(A)  the Health and Human Services Commission;                        
			(B)  the Department of State Health Services;                         
			(C)  the Texas Higher Education Coordinating 
Board;                 
			(D)  the Texas Workforce Commission;                                  
			(E)  the Health Professions Council;                                  
			(F)  the Office of Rural Community Affairs; and                       
			(G)  any other state agency identified by the 
governor that impacts health workforce planning; and
		(2)  a person appointed by the governor to represent 
area health education centers in this state.
	(c)  The governor shall designate a member of the partnership 
to serve as the presiding officer of the partnership.
	Sec. 113.004.  COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES.  Service on the 
partnership is an additional duty of a member's office or 
employment.  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.  The partnership's member 
agencies shall provide the staff for the partnership.
	Sec. 113.006.  MEETINGS.  (a)  The partnership shall meet at 
least once each year.  The partnership may meet at other times at 
the call of the presiding officer or as provided by the rules of the 
partnership.
	(b)   The partnership is a governmental body for the purposes 
of the open meetings law, Chapter 551, Government Code.
	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.