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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the North Texas Trauma and Burn |
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Authority in Trauma Service Area E. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle D, Title 4, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 291 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 291. NORTH TEXAS TRAUMA AND BURN AUTHORITY |
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SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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Sec. 291.001. SHORT TITLE. This chapter may be cited as the |
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North Texas Trauma and Burn Authority Act. |
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Sec. 291.002. PURPOSES; LIBERAL CONSTRUCTION. (a) The |
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purposes of this chapter are: |
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(1) the development, implementation, management, and |
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supervision of an integrated and cohesive system for improved Level |
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I and Level II trauma and burn care in the 19 counties of northern |
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Texas that comprise Trauma Service Area E; |
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(2) the creation of regional trauma and burn |
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authorities to develop and implement plans to design, modify, and |
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expand infrastructure to support trauma care facilities; |
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(3) the reduction of burdens and demands on the |
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limited funds available for trauma care and to increase the |
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effectiveness and efficiency of expenditures for trauma care; and |
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(4) to seek funding from the federal government under |
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the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. No. |
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111-5) and from other funding sources. |
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(b) This chapter shall be liberally construed to effect its |
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purposes. |
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Sec. 291.003. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Authority" means the North Texas Trauma and Burn |
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Authority (NTTBA). |
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(2) "Board" means the board of the authority. |
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Sec. 291.004. CREATION OF AUTHORITY. An authority is |
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created in Trauma Service Area E, as defined by 25 T.A.C. Section |
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157.122, and includes Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Erath, |
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Fannin, Grayson, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, |
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Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant, and Wise Counties. |
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Sec. 291.005. POLITICAL SUBDIVISION. The authority is a |
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political subdivision of this state. |
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[Sections 291.006-291.100 reserved for expansion] |
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SUBCHAPTER B. AUTHORITY ADMINISTRATION |
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Sec. 291.101. BOARD; APPOINTMENT. (a) The authority is |
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governed by a board of nine members appointed as provided by this |
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section. |
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(b) The commissioners court of Dallas County shall appoint |
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three members. |
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(c) The commissioners court of Tarrant County shall appoint |
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two members. |
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(d) The commissioners courts of Cooke, Denton, and Wise |
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Counties shall collectively appoint one member. |
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(e) The commissioners courts of Collin, Fannin, and Grayson |
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Counties shall collectively appoint one member. |
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(f) The commissioners courts of Ellis, Hunt, Kaufman, and |
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Rockwall Counties shall collectively appoint one member. |
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(g) The commissioners courts of Erath, Hood, Johnson, Palo |
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Pinto, Parker, and Somervell Counties shall collectively appoint |
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one member. |
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(h) If the commissioners courts cannot agree on a member to |
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appoint under Subsection (d), (e), (f), or (g), board members that |
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have been appointed to the authority shall select a representative |
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from the group of counties whose commissioners courts could not |
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agree on an appointment. |
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Sec. 291.102. TERM. (a) A board member serves a |
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three-year term. Terms shall be staggered so that one-third of the |
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board members' terms expire each year. |
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(b) The initial board members shall draw lots to determine |
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which members serve a one-year term, which members serve a two-year |
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term, and which members serve a three-year term. |
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Sec. 291.103. QUALIFICATIONS OF BOARD MEMBERS. To be |
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eligible to serve as a member of the board, a person must: |
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(1) be a United States citizen; |
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(2) be 18 years of age or older on the first day of the |
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term the person is appointed to fill; and |
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(3) be knowledgeable in the field of health care, |
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transportation, or local government. |
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Sec. 291.104. VACANCY. (a) If a vacancy occurs on the |
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board, the commissioners court or courts that originally appointed |
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the position vacated shall appoint a qualified person to fill the |
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vacancy not later than the 30th day after the date the vacancy |
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occurs. |
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(b) If the commissioners court or courts fail to appoint a |
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member to the board to fill a vacancy by the 30th day after the date |
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the vacancy occurs, the remaining members of the board may, by vote |
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of the board, appoint a replacement. |
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Sec. 291.105. OFFICERS. (a) The board shall elect from |
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among its members: |
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(1) a chair; |
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(2) a vice chair to preside in the chair's absence; and |
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(3) a secretary. |
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(b) The chair, vice chair, and secretary shall each serve in |
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that office until the expiration of the person's term as a member of |
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the board. |
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Sec. 291.106. COMPENSATION; EXPENSES. A member of the |
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board serves without compensation but may, on the approval of the |
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entire board, be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in the |
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performance of the member's official duties. |
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[Sections 291.107-291.200 reserved for expansion] |
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SUBCHAPTER C. POWERS AND DUTIES |
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Sec. 291.201. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The authority shall: |
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(1) be responsible for the development, |
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implementation, management, and supervision of an integrated and |
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cohesive system for improved Level I and Level II trauma and burn |
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care in the counties of northern Texas that comprise Trauma Service |
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Area E; |
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(2) develop and prepare to manage a plan to handle mass |
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casualties resulting from any large-scale medical emergency |
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including a pandemic outbreak, natural disaster, or homeland |
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security event; |
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(3) seek funding from the federal government under the |
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American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. No. 111-5) |
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and from other funding sources; |
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(4) coordinate the allocation of resources for trauma |
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and burn services across its multicounty service area; |
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(5) assist in the provision of transportation services |
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needed for trauma victims and in the event of a large-scale |
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disaster; |
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(6) manage funds received from all sources to support |
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the efficient provision of trauma and burn services and direct |
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those funds to the appropriate trauma facilities; |
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(7) assist in the recruitment and retention of trauma |
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service providers; |
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(8) conduct or support research that improves the |
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quality and effectiveness of Level I and Level II trauma and burn |
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patient care in Trauma Service Area E by comparing the clinical |
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outcomes, effectiveness, and appropriateness of procedures for the |
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diagnosis and treatment of Level I and Level II trauma and burns; |
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and |
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(9) create a regional electronic clinical data network |
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and information exchange that will collect and share all clinical |
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data regarding Level I and Level II trauma and burn patient care |
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services provided in Trauma Service Area E and that will serve as |
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the primary network and information exchange in the event of a |
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pandemic outbreak, natural disaster, or medically related homeland |
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security event. |
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(b) The authority, acting through its board and without |
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state approval, may: |
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(1) adopt rules for the regulation of the authority's |
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affairs; |
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(2) adopt an official seal; |
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(3) acquire, hold, and dispose of property in the |
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exercise of the authority's powers and the performance of the |
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authority's duties under this chapter; |
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(4) enter into contracts or agreements necessary or |
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incidental to the authority's duties and powers under this chapter; |
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and |
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(5) do all things necessary or appropriate to carry |
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out the powers expressly granted by this chapter. |
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(c) The authority may sue and be sued in the authority's own |
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name. |
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Sec. 291.202. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; DUTIES. (a) The board |
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shall appoint a person qualified by training and experience as the |
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executive director for the authority. |
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(b) The executive director serves at the will of the board |
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and for a term of not more than four years. |
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(c) The executive director is entitled to compensation as |
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determined by the board. |
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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. |