81R10316 EAH-F

By: Coleman H.B. No. 2715

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to grants for school-based health centers.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Sections 38.063(a), (b), (d), (e), (f), and (g), Education Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) Subject to the availability of federal or state appropriated funds, the commissioner of state [public] health services shall administer a program under which grants are awarded to assist school districts and nonprofit organizations or governmental entities that collaborate with school districts with the costs of [operating] school-based health centers in accordance with this section.

(b) The commissioner of state [public] health services, by rules adopted in accordance with this section, shall establish procedures for awarding grants. The rules must provide that:

(1) grants are awarded annually [to school districts on an annual basis] through a competitive process to:

(A) school districts; and

(B) nonprofit organizations or governmental entities that collaborate with school districts to establish and operate school-based health centers; and

(2) a preference is given to school-based health centers in school districts that are located in rural areas or that have low property wealth per student.

(d) A school district, nonprofit organization, or governmental entity may not receive more than $250,000 per state fiscal biennium through grants awarded under this section.

(e) To be eligible to receive a grant, a school district, nonprofit organization, or governmental entity must provide matching funds in accordance with rules adopted under Subsection (b). The matching funds may be obtained from any source available to the district, nonprofit organization, or governmental entity, including in-kind contributions, community or foundation grants, individual contributions, and local governmental agency operating funds.

(f) The commissioner of state [public] health services shall adopt rules establishing standards for health care centers funded through grants that place primary emphasis on delivery of health services and secondary emphasis on population-based models that prevent emerging health threats.

(g) The commissioner of state [public] health services shall require client surveys to be conducted in school-based health centers funded through grants awarded under this section, and the results of those surveys must be included in the annual report required under Section 38.064.

SECTION 2. Section 38.064, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 38.064. REPORT TO LEGISLATURE. (a) Based on statistics obtained from each [every] school-based health center that receives a grant under Section 38.063 [in this state], the commissioner of state [public] health services shall issue an annual report to the legislature about the relative efficacy of services delivered by school-based health centers that receive state grants and any increased academic success of students at campuses served by those centers, with special emphasis on any:

(1) increased attendance;

(2) [decreased drop-out rates;

[(3)] improved student health; and

(3) [(4)] improved performance on student assessment instruments administered under Subchapter B, Chapter 39.

(b) In obtaining statistics for preparation of the report required by this section, the commissioner of state [public] health services shall ensure that data is collected [for each county] and aggregated appropriately according to geographical region.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.