BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                        S.B. 198

80R1189 TAD-D                                                                                                              By: Nelson

                                                                                                               Health and Human Services

                                                                                                                                              2/2/2007

                                                                                                                                              As Filed

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Under current law, there is not a program in place to recognize hospitals with outstanding nursing programs. In addition, information relating to a hospital's nursing program is not required to be made available to the general public.

 

As proposed, S.B. 198 directs the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to create a program recognizing hospitals with strong nursing programs and authorizes DSHS to make information on such programs available to the public.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 1 (Section 241.107, Health and Safety Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

[While the statutory reference in this bill is to the Texas Department of Health (TDH), the following amendments affect the Department of  State Health Services, as the successor agency to TDH.]

 

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter E, Chapter 241, Health and Safety Code, by adding Sections 241.106 and 241.107, as follows:

 

Sec. 241.106. RECOGNITION OF OUTSTANDING HOSPITAL NURSING PROGRAMS. (a) Requires the Texas Department of Health (department) to establish a program to annually recognize hospitals with outstanding nursing programs.

 

(b) Provides the criteria for the department to use in the determination of a hospital's eligibility.

 

(c) Requires the criteria used under Subsection (b) to be made available on the department's website and to a hospital on request.

 

(d) Requires the department to recognize a hospital with an outstanding nursing program in a certain manner.

 

Sec. 241.107. LISTING OF HOSPITAL NURSING STAFF INFORMATION. (a) Requires the department to create and maintain a list of information contained on the reports submitted under Subsection (b) on its website.

 

(b) Authorizes, but does not require, a hospital to annually report certain information to the department.

 

(c) Requires the report to be in a form prescribed by the department.

 

(d) Requires the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission to adopt rules to implement this section.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2007.