| TO: | Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB1492 by Ellis (Relating to providing sign language interpreter services to hospitals.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Human Resources Code to require the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) to establish a 24-hour video remote interpreting (VRI) project through which Texas hospitals may obtain VRI services in order to facilitate communication with deaf patients and family members of deaf patients.
The DARS commissioner would also be required to adopt rules to implement the provisions of the bill.
According to DARS, hospitals already have the option to use VRI services as a means of meeting access requirements. Thus, DARS is unsure if hospitals would continue to pay for VRI charges. This cost estimate assumes that the provisions of the bill would not have a fiscal impact on the agency.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2007.
| Source Agencies: | 538 Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Department of
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, CL, PP, SJ
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