| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a study on the feasibility of establishing a prepaid |
|
|
investment plan or other product to help citizens of this state |
|
|
finance and access residential care. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. (a) In this section: |
|
|
(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services |
|
|
Commission. |
|
|
(2) "Executive commissioner" means the executive |
|
|
commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission. |
|
|
(3) "Residential care" means long-term services and |
|
|
supports provided in the least restrictive care setting, including |
|
|
a home or community-based setting, to persons who are elderly or |
|
|
have disabilities. |
|
|
(b) The executive commissioner in cooperation with the |
|
|
comptroller of public accounts and the commissioner of aging and |
|
|
disability services shall conduct a study on the feasibility of |
|
|
developing a program that is: |
|
|
(1) modeled after the prepaid higher education tuition |
|
|
program established under Subchapter F, Chapter 54, Education Code; |
|
|
(2) administered by the state; and |
|
|
(3) designed to provide a mechanism through which |
|
|
citizens of this state may invest in a prepaid investment plan or |
|
|
other product meant to supplement long-term care insurance by |
|
|
providing participants additional financial support to cover the |
|
|
cost of residential care. |
|
|
(c) In conducting the study under Subsection (b) of this |
|
|
section, the executive commissioner shall: |
|
|
(1) evaluate existing systems and programs for |
|
|
providing residential care in this state; |
|
|
(2) evaluate the economic circumstances of the elderly |
|
|
and low-income populations and persons with disabilities in this |
|
|
state who are in need of residential care; |
|
|
(3) consider alternative systems and programs for |
|
|
providing and financing residential care that will increase the |
|
|
affordability, sustainability, desirability, quality, and |
|
|
cost-effectiveness of residential care in this state, taking into |
|
|
consideration model systems and programs used in other states; |
|
|
(4) consult with interested stakeholders as well as |
|
|
other appropriate state and federal agencies; |
|
|
(5) consider ways to encourage participation, |
|
|
coordination, and involvement of the federal government and private |
|
|
sector; and |
|
|
(6) consider the possibility of developing a |
|
|
tax-advantaged investment plan under which either contributions to |
|
|
the plan are tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes or |
|
|
distributions of earnings from the plan are not subject to federal |
|
|
income tax. |
|
|
(d) Not later than November 1, 2016, the executive |
|
|
commissioner shall submit a written report containing the findings |
|
|
of the study conducted under Subsection (b) of this section |
|
|
together with the executive commissioner's recommendations to the |
|
|
governor and the legislature. The recommendations must include |
|
|
proposals for alternative systems described by Subsection (c)(3) of |
|
|
this section that are developed based on the findings of the study. |
|
|
(e) This section expires September 1, 2017. |
|
|
SECTION 2. 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. |