By: Schwertner  S.B. No. 277
         (In the Senate - Filed January 7, 2015; January 28, 2015,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human
  Services; March 31, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0;
  March 31, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 277 By:  Schwertner
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the abolition of certain health-related task forces and
  advisory committees.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  (a)  The Interagency Task Force on Electronic
  Benefits Transfers is abolished.
         (b)  Section 531.045, Government Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 2.  (a) The Medicaid and Public Assistance Fraud
  Oversight Task Force is abolished.
         (b)  Section 22.028(c), Human Resources Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  No later than the first day of each month, the
  department shall send the comptroller a report listing the accounts
  on which enforcement actions or other steps were taken by the
  department in response to the records received from the EBT
  operator under this section, and the action taken by the
  department. The comptroller shall promptly review the report and,
  as appropriate, may solicit the advice of the office of the
  inspector general [Medicaid and Public Assistance Fraud Oversight
  Task Force] regarding the results of the department's enforcement
  actions.
         (c)  Section 531.107, Government Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 3.  (a)  The Advisory Committee on Inpatient Mental
  Health Services is abolished.
         (b)  Section 571.027, Health and Safety Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 4.  (a) The Interagency Inspection Task Force is
  abolished.
         (b)  Section 42.0442(c), Human Resources Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  [The interagency task force shall establish an
  inspection checklist based on the inspection protocol developed
  under Subsection (b).] Each state agency that inspects a facility
  listed in Subsection (a) shall use an [the] inspection checklist
  established by the department in performing an inspection. A state
  agency shall make a copy of the completed inspection checklist
  available to the facility at the facility's request to assist the
  facility in maintaining records.
         (c)  Section 42.0442(b), Human Resources Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 5.  If an entity that is abolished by this Act has
  property, records, or other assets, the Health and Human Services
  Commission shall take custody of the entity's property, records, or
  other assets.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
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