| TO: | Honorable Dianne White Delisi, Chair, House Committee on Public Health |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB1341 by Strama (Relating to the creation of an advisory committee to establish qualifications for certain health care translators and interpreters.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend Chapter 531, Government Code by adding Subchapter M requiring the executive commissioner of health and human services to appoint an advisory committee on qualifications for certain health care translators and interpreters. The committee would establish and recommend qualifications for health care interpreters and translators; advise the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) on certification requirements; develop strategies for implementation of the regulation of health care interpreters; and make recommendations to HHSC for any legislation necessary to establish and enforce qualifications or for the adoption of rules. Section 531.457 would specify that members may not receive compensation but are entitled to reimbursement of travel expenses as provided by the General Appropriations Act. The advisory committee must be established no later than January 1, 2006.
The bill would take effect on September 1, 2005.
HHSC estimates the bill would not have a significant fiscal impact; however, it would have workload implications. The Department of State Health Services estimates the cost of travel reimbursement to be $22,000 per year and that they could absorb the cost of clerical support for the committee. This cost is not assumed to be significant.
| Source Agencies: | 503 Board of Medical Examiners, 529 Health and Human Services Commission, 537 Department of State Health Services
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, CL, KF, MB
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