By: Huffman  S.B. No. 1940
         (In the Senate - Filed March 13, 2015; March 25, 2015, read
  first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; May 8, 2015,
  reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the
  following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 8, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1940 By:  Huffman
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the creation of a joint interim committee to undertake a
  study of health benefit plans administered by the Teacher
  Retirement System of Texas.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  CREATION OF JOINT INTERIM COMMITTEE. (a)  A
  joint interim committee is created to study and review the health
  benefit plans, including TRS-Care and TRS-ActiveCare, operated
  under Chapters 1575 and 1579, Insurance Code, and propose reforms
  to address issues described by Section 2 of this Act.
         (b)  The joint interim committee shall be composed of three
  senators appointed by the lieutenant governor and three members of
  the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house
  of representatives.
         (c)  The lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of
  representatives shall each designate a co-chair from among the
  joint interim committee members.
         (d)  The joint interim committee shall convene at the joint
  call of the co-chairs.
         (e)  The joint interim committee has all other powers and
  duties provided to a special or select committee by the rules of the
  senate and house of representatives, by Subchapter B, Chapter 301,
  Government Code, and by policies of the senate and house committees
  on administration.
         SECTION 2.  INTERIM STUDY REGARDING CERTAIN HEALTH BENEFIT
  PLANS. The joint interim committee created by Section 1 of this Act
  shall study the health benefit plans, including TRS-Care and
  TRS-ActiveCare, operated under Chapters 1575 and 1579, Insurance
  Code, to examine and assess the following issues:
               (1)  the financial soundness of the plans;
               (2)  the cost and affordability of plan coverage to
  persons eligible for coverage under the plans; and
               (3)  the sufficiency of access to physicians and health
  care providers under the plans.
         SECTION 3.  COMMITTEE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.  
  (a)  Not later than January 15, 2017, the joint interim committee
  shall report the committee's findings and recommendations to the
  lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
  and the governor. The joint interim committee shall include in its
  recommendations specific statutory and regulatory changes that
  appear necessary from the results of the committee's study under
  Section 2 of this Act.
         (b)  Not later than the 60th day after the effective date of
  this Act, the lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of
  representatives shall appoint the members of the joint interim
  committee created under Section 1 of this Act in accordance with
  that section.
         SECTION 4.  ABOLITION OF COMMITTEE. The joint interim
  committee created by this Act is abolished and this Act expires
  January 20, 2017.
         SECTION 5.  EFFECTIVE DATE. 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.
 
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