BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1761
By: Uresti
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
During the 79th Legislature, Regular Session, H.B. 952 created a pilot program to allow the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) to place a nurse practitioner at selected locations (state agency buildings and complexes specifically). The purpose of the pilot program was to set up healthcare clinics within state buildings that were easily accessible to state employees to help ERS reduce healthcare costs. The program is modeled after the healthcare clinic set up in the Capitol.
S.B. 1761 amends the statute authorizing the pilot program by allowing a physician assistant to provide on-site health services.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority previously granted to the board of trustees of the Employees Retirement System of Texas is modified in SECTION 2 of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 671.001, Government Code, as follows:
Sec. 671.001. New heading: NURSE PRACTITIONER OR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT IN STATE OFFICE COMPLEXES; PILOT PROGRAM. (a) Includes a licensed physician assistant in the list of people the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) is required to make available to provide authorized on-site health services at a selected location to state employees who choose to make use of the service under a pilot program developed and implemented by ERS.
(b) Includes a licensed physician assistant as described by Chapter 204 (Physician Assistants), Occupations Code, in the list of people whose services may be made available under the pilot program. Makes conforming changes.
(c) - (e) Makes no changes to these subsections.
SECTION 2. Requires the board of trustees of ERS to adopt rules as required by Section 671.001, Government Code, as amended by this Act, as soon as possible after the effect of this Act.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2007.