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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to grants for school-based health centers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 38.063, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a), (b), (d), (e), (f), and (g) and adding |
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Subsection (e-1) to read as follows: |
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(a) Subject to the availability of federal or state |
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appropriated funds, the commissioner of state [public] health |
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services shall administer a program under which grants are awarded |
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to assist school districts and local health departments, hospitals, |
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or nonprofit organizations that contract with school districts with |
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the costs of [operating] school-based health centers in accordance |
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with this section. |
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(b) The commissioner of state [public] health services, by |
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rules adopted in accordance with this section, shall establish |
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procedures for awarding grants. The rules must provide that: |
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(1) grants are awarded annually [to school districts
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on an annual basis] through a competitive process to: |
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(A) school districts; and |
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(B) local health departments, hospitals, or |
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nonprofit organizations that have contracted with school districts |
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to establish and operate school-based health centers; |
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(2) subject to the availability of federal or state |
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appropriated funds, each grant is for a term of five years; and |
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(3) a preference is given to school-based health |
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centers in school districts that are located in rural areas or that |
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have low property wealth per student. |
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(d) A school district, local health department, hospital, |
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or nonprofit organization may not receive more than $250,000 per |
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state fiscal biennium through grants awarded under this section. |
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(e) To be eligible to receive a grant, a school district, |
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local health department, hospital, or nonprofit organization must |
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provide matching funds in accordance with rules adopted under |
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Subsection (b). The matching funds may be obtained from any source |
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available to the district, local health department, hospital, or |
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nonprofit organization, including in-kind contributions, community |
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or foundation grants, individual contributions, and local |
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governmental agency operating funds. |
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(e-1) A school district, local health department, hospital, |
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or nonprofit organization receiving a grant under this section may |
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use the grant funds to: |
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(1) establish a new school-based health center; |
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(2) expand an existing school-based health center; or |
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(3) operate a school-based health center. |
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(f) The commissioner of state [public] health services |
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shall adopt rules establishing standards for health care centers |
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funded through grants that place primary emphasis on delivery of |
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health services and secondary emphasis on population-based models |
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that prevent emerging health threats. |
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(g) The commissioner of state [public] health services |
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shall require client surveys to be conducted in school-based health |
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centers funded through grants awarded under this section, and the |
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results of those surveys must be included in the annual report |
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required under Section 38.064. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |