S.B. No. 1463
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to improving the delivery of health care services to
  veterans in this state.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter F, Chapter 401, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 401.103 to read as follows:
         Sec. 401.103.  VETERANS HEALTH ISSUES. (a)  The governor or
  the governor's designee may negotiate with the United States
  Department of Veterans Affairs and any other appropriate federal
  agency on matters relating to improving the delivery of health care
  services to veterans in this state, including:
               (1)  establishing a veterans hospital in the Rio Grande
  Valley region of the state; and
               (2)  ensuring the prompt payment of claims submitted by
  community health care providers to the United States Department of
  Veterans Affairs for health care services provided to veterans by
  those providers.
         (b)  The governor, in consultation with the board of regents
  of The University of Texas System, may identify shared resources
  and collaborative opportunities that may be used by the School of
  Medicine at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the United
  States Department of Veterans Affairs to provide quality health
  care services to residents of the Rio Grande Valley. 
         (c)  The governor may request the assistance of the
  Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services
  Commission, the Texas Veterans Commission, or any other state
  agency, department, or office in performing an action under this
  section. The agency, department, or office shall provide the
  requested assistance.
         SECTION 2.  Section 434.019(a), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  The Texas Veterans Commission and the Department of
  State Health Services, in collaboration with the office of the
  governor, shall work with the United States Department of Veterans
  Affairs and any other appropriate federal agency to propose that
  the federal government establish a veterans hospital in the Rio
  Grande Valley region of the state.
         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, 2015.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1463 passed the Senate on
  May 15, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1463 passed the House on
  May 22, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 139, Nays 1, two
  present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor