BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1526
By: Shapleigh
International Relations & Trade
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, established the Border Health Institute (institute) in El Paso. The institute was created to facilitate a collaboration of international, national, regional, and local health-related institutions working in the Texas-Mexico border region. Institute members include Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso Community College District, R. E. Thomason General Hospital, El Paso City Council Health District, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston-School of Public Health, the El Paso County Medical Society, and the Paso del Norte Health Foundation. In recent years, the institute's activities have been greatly diminished as new organizations with similar missions have evolved.
S.B. 1526 relates to the composition, administration, and duties, including reporting requirements, of the Border Health Institute.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 151.002(b), Education Code, to require the Border Health Institute (institute) to operate in a manner that facilitates and assists the activities of international, national, regional, or local health-related institutions working in the Texas-Mexico border region. Deletes existing text requiring the institute to operate in a manner that facilitates and assists the activities of international, national, regional, or local health-related institutions working in the Texas-Mexico border region to create and fund centers or component units within the institute to facilitate research in fields of study affecting public health in the border region, including research related to diabetes, Hispanic health issues, infectious diseases, emerging infections, environmental health issues, and children's health issues; deliver health care or provide health education to persons living in the border region; and conduct and facilitate research in fields of study affecting public health in the border region, including research related to diabetes, Hispanic health issues, infectious diseases, emerging infections, environmental health issues, and children's health issues.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 151.003(a), Education Code, to provide that the institute, subject to Subsection (b), is composed of, rather than initially composed of, certain institutions, including Department of State Health Services and Medical Center of the Americas Foundation. Deletes existing text providing that the institute is initially composed of certain institutions, including The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health; El Paso County Medical Society; Paso del Norte Health Foundation; and the Texas Department of Health.
SECTION 3. Amends Section 151.008, Education Code, as follows:
Sec. 151.008. New heading: BIENNIAL REPORTING. (a) Requires each member of the institute, not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, to provide a long-term strategic plan for that member to each member of the governing board of the institute, each member of the legislature whose district includes any portion of a county where the institute is established or operating, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Deletes existing text requiring the institute, each year, to provide to each member of the governing board of the institute and to each member of the legislature whose district includes any portion of a county where the institute is established or operating an annual audited financial statement, and a status report of each project undertaken by the institute.
(b) Requires that the long-term strategic plan for each member include a statement of the member's goals and objectives for providing health care services to persons living in the border region, providing health care education to persons living in the border region, and conducting research into issues affecting public health in the border region, including research relating to certain issues.
SECTION 4. Repealer: Section 151.004(d), (relating to requiring the governing board to meet to review the progress of the institute and to determine future actions and operational plans), Education Code.
Repealers: Sections 151.006 (Facilities), 151.007 (Resources), and 151.010 (Strategic Plan), Education Code.
SECTION 5. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.