BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center C.S.H.B. 3575
80R21408 KLA-D By: Rose et al. (Nelson)
Committee Report (Substituted)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, created and funded TIERS (Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System). There has been an ongoing concern about operability of TIERS and the Integrated Eligibility and Enrollment system.
C.S.H.B. 3575 seeks to provide the framework for a successful eligibility system. This bill requires the state auditor's office to develop a transition plan to transform and enhance the eligibility system used to deliver the benefits of the TIERS and the System of Application, Verification, Eligibility, Referral, and Reporting. This bill also creates the health and human services eligibility system legislative oversight committee to support the state auditor's office with the implementation of the enhanced eligibility system in a manner that maximizes the positive effects of that implementation on the delivery of health and human services.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 531, Government Code, by adding Subchapter M, as follows:
SUBCHAPTER M. MONITORING AND ENHANCEMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS
Sec. 531.451. DEFINITIONS. Defines "committee," "eligibility system," "enhanced eligibility system," and "quality assurance team."
Sec. 531.452. GOALS FOR ENHANCED ELIGIBILITY SYSTEM. Requires the enhanced eligibility system implemented under this subchapter to be designed to achieve certain goals with respect to health and human services programs in this state.
Sec. 531.453. ELIGIBILITY SYSTEM TRANSITION PLAN. (a) Requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to develop a transition plan under which the eligibility system in existence on September 1, 2007, is transformed and enhanced to be more fully functional relative to the needs of eligible Texas residents and to meet the goals described in Section 531.452 not later than January 1, 2009. Requires HHSC to include a timetable in the transition plan for meeting specific goals with respect to achieving that transformation.
(b) Requires certain information to be included in the transition plan.
(c) Requires HHSC to make the transition plan available to the public at a public hearing conducted by the health and human services eligibility system legislative oversight committee (committee) not later than October 15, 2007.
Sec. 531.454. ELIGIBILITY SYSTEM REVIEW DURING TRANSITION PERIOD. (a) Requires state auditor's office (office) to establish, in consultation with the Department of Information Resources, an independent validation and verification program (program) for the eligibility system during the period of the transition plan developed under Section 531.453. Requires the office to also coordinate and consult with HHSC, including HHSC's office of inspector general, in establishing the program.
(b) Requires the program to allow for certain determinations.
(c) Requires the office to present the proposed program to the committee and seek the committee's recommendations for modifications to the proposed program. Requires the office to consider the committee's recommendations and modify the proposed program as necessary.
(d) Authorizes the office to enter into a contract with a person to perform the duties required of the office under Subsection (a), subject to the requirements of Subsection (c), and enter into a contract with a person to implement the program using a contractor with which the commission contracts as provided by Subsection (e).
(e) Authorizes HHSC to enter into a contract with a person before September 1, 2007, to operate a program for the eligibility system.
(f) Requires the quality assurance team created under Section 2054.158 (Quality Assurance Team) (team) to establish a schedule for periodic monitoring of the eligibility system during the period of the transition plan developed under Section 531.453.
(g) Requires the office and the team to share information as necessary to fulfill their respective duties under this section.
Sec. 531.455. ENHANCED ELIGIBILITY SYSTEM AS MAJOR INFORMATION RESOURCES PROJECT. Requires HHSC to identify the enhanced eligibility system as a major information resources project, as defined by Section 2054.003(10) (regarding definitions), in HHSC's biennial operating plan.
Sec. 531.456. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ELIGIBILITY SYSTEM LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. (a) Creates the committee to support HHSC's implementation of the enhanced eligibility system in a manner that maximizes the positive effects of that implementation on the delivery of health and human services in this state.
(b) Sets forth the composition of the seven-member committee.
(c) Provides that the executive commissioner of HHSC serves as an ex officio member of the committee.
(d) Provides that a member of the committee appointed under Subsection (b)(3), (4), or (5) serves at the will of the appointing official.
(e) Requires the lieutenant governor to designate one committee member to serve as joint presiding officer of the committee, and requires the speaker of the house of representatives to designate another committee member to serve as the other joint presiding officer.
(f) Provides that the committee meets at the call of a joint presiding officer.
(g) Prohibits a committee member from receiving compensation for serving on the committee, but entitles the member to reimbursement for expenses incurred by the member while conducting the business of the committee as provided by the General Appropriations Act.
Sec. 531.457. DUTIES OF COMMITTEE. Requires the committee to perform certain duties.
Sec. 531.458. EXPIRATION. Provides that this subchapter expires September 1, 2011.
SECTION 2. Requires the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives to appoint the members of the committee as required by Section 531.456, Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than September 1, 2007.
SECTION 3. Requires the committee to conduct the first public hearing required by Section 531.457, Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than Otober 15, 2007.
SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.