By: Uresti S.B. No. 1761
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the pilot program to provide health services to state
employees in state office complexes.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       Section 1.  Chapter 671.001 of the Government Code is
amended to read as follows:
       Sec. 671.001. NURSE PRACTITIONER OR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT IN
STATE OFFICE COMPLEXES; PILOT PROGRAM.  (a)  To reduce the cost of
health care and increase the wellness and productivity of state
employees, the Employees Retirement System of Texas shall develop
and implement a pilot program to make available a licensed advanced
practice nurse or a licensed physician assistant to provide
authorized on-site health services at a selected location to state
employees who choose to make use of the services.
       (b)  The pilot program must provide for the following:
             (1)  a licensed advanced practice nurse as defined by
Section 301.152, Occupations Code, or a licensed physician
assistant as defined by Section 204.001, Occupations Code who is
employed by the state or whose services are acquired by contract,
who will be located at a state office complex;
             (2)  a licensed physician, who is employed by a state
governmental entity for purposes other than the pilot program or
whose services are acquired by contract, who will perform all
supervisory functions described by Section 157.052(e), Occupations
Code;
             (3)  appropriate office space and equipment for the
advanced practice nurse or physician assistant to provide basic
medical care to employees at the state office complex where the
nurse or physician assistant is located; and
             (4)  professional liability insurance covering
services provided by the advanced practice nurse or the physician
assistant.
       (c)  The board of trustees of the Employees Retirement System
of Texas shall adopt rules necessary for implementation of this
section and shall seek the assistance of state agencies as
necessary for the implementation of this chapter.
       (d)  The Employees Retirement System of Texas shall
determine whether it is more efficient to pay directly for some or
all of the expenses associated with implementing this chapter or to
reimburse expenses through an interagency agreement as the expenses
are incurred by an agency participating in the program.
       (e)  The Employees Retirement System of Texas may order the
pilot program continued or expanded to cover more state office
complexes on finding:
             (1)  the pilot program has proven beneficial in meeting
the health care needs of state employees; and
             (2)  continuation or expansion of the pilot program is
economically beneficial.
       Section 2.  As soon as possible after the effect of this Act,
the board of trustees of the Employees Retirement System of Texas
shall adopt rules as required by Section 671.001, Government Code,
as amended by this Act.
       Section 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.