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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to depositing revenue received by this state from |
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undocumented immigrants to the indigent emergency medical services |
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and preventative health care reimbursement fund. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The legislature recognizes that undocumented |
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immigrants bring in approximately $424.7 million more in annual |
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revenue to the state than the state spends on services provided to |
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them, and yet many do not have health insurance and are ineligible |
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for public assistance for medical expenses. It is the intent of the |
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legislature to allocate this revenue to help cover the expenses of |
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medical care for indigent persons, some of whom are undocumented |
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immigrants. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 61, Health and Safety Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter D to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER D. INDIGENT EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AND PREVENTATIVE |
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HEALTH CARE REIMBURSEMENT FUND |
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Sec. 61.081. INDIGENT EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AND |
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PREVENTATIVE HEALTH CARE REIMBURSEMENT FUND ESTABLISHED. (a) The |
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indigent emergency medical services and preventative health care |
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reimbursement fund is a dedicated account in the general revenue |
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fund. |
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(b) The comptroller shall annually deposit the first $424.7 |
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million of revenue that the state receives that is not otherwise |
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dedicated by another law or by the constitution to the credit of the |
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fund. |
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(c) Money in the fund may be appropriated only to provide |
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state assistance under this chapter or otherwise reimburse a |
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governmental entity or hospital district for the cost of emergency |
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medical services, preventative health care services, and other |
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health care services provided to indigent persons that is not |
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reimbursed by Medicaid or another public state or federal funding |
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source. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |