BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1407
85R11335 SCL-F	By: Sheffield et al. (Seliger)
	Health & Human Services
	5/9/2017
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Interested parties have expressed a need to address the shortage of emergency medical services professionals, particularly in rural areas, and the lack of educational opportunities and training programs for such professionals. S.B. 1471 addresses these concerns by providing for the creation of the emergency medical services assistance program and the use of money from the permanent fund for emergency medical services and trauma care for grants under the program.

H.B. 1407 amends current law relating to the establishment of the emergency medical services assistance program.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 1 (Sections 773.253 and 773.257, Health and Safety Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 773, Health and Safety Code, by adding Subchapter I, as follows:

SUBCHAPTER I. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Sec. 773.251.� DEFINITIONS. Defines "educational curriculum," "postsecondary educational institution," and "program."

Sec. 773.252.� ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. (a) Requires the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to establish the emergency medical services assistance program (program) to provide financial and educational assistance to eligible emergency medical services providers.

(b) Provides that the program includes grants to eligible emergency medical services providers and an educational curriculum to provide training to rural emergency medical services personnel.

Sec. 773.253.� RULES. (a) Requires the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission (executive commissioner) to adopt rules necessary to implement this subchapter, including certain rules.

(b) Requires the rules to have certain requirements.

Sec. 773.254. APPLICATION BY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDER. (a) Authorizes an emergency medical services provider to apply to DSHS in the form and manner provided by DSHS rule to receive assistance under the program.

(b) Authorizes DSHS, if DSHS determines an applicant is eligible for assistance under the program, to provide a grant under Section 773.257 to the applicant.

Sec. 773.255.� EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM. (a) Authorizes a postsecondary educational institution (PEI) to apply to DSHS in the form and manner provided by DSHS rule to develop and offer the educational curriculum under this subchapter.

(b) Authorizes DSHS to contract with not more than three qualified PEIs to develop and offer the educational curriculum under this subchapter.

Sec. 773.256.� ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. Authorizes DSHS to provide administrative support to the program.

Sec. 773.257.� GRANTS. (a) Authorizes the commissioner of state health services (commissioner) to use money from the permanent fund for emergency medical services and trauma care established under Section 403.106 (Permanent Fund for Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Care), Government Code, to provide grants, in addition to funding available from other sources, to emergency medical services providers applying for assistance under the program or to provide funding to a PEI offering the educational curriculum under this subchapter.

(b) Requires the commissioner to ensure that at least 60 percent of the grants provided under this section are provided to emergency medical services providers that serve a rural area.

(c) Requires the executive commissioner by rule to establish a procedure for the Governor's EMS and Trauma Advisory Council to establish priorities for issuance of grants under this section.

(d) Requires DSHS to distribute grants under this section in accordance with the requirements of Subsection (b) and the grant priorities established under Subsection (c).

SECTION 2. Amends Section 542.4031, Transportation Code, by amending Subsections (g) and (h) and adding Subsection (h-1), as follows:

(g) Requires the Texas comptroller of public accounts (comptroller), of the money received by the comptroller under this section (State Traffic Fine), to deposit 63.67 percent, rather than 67 percent, to the credit of the undedicated portion of the general revenue fund (GRF) and 3.33 percent to the credit of the permanent fund for emergency medical services and trauma care under Section 403.106, Government Code.

(h) Decreases from 67 percent to 63.67 percent of the money received under Subsection (e)(2) (relating to the custodian of money in a municipal or county treasury remitting to the comptroller certain money not later than the last day of the month following each calendar quarter) that the comptroller is required to deposit to the credit of the GRF only until certain conditions are met, notwithstanding Subsection (g)(1) (relating to 63.37 percent of money received by the comptroller going to the undedicated portion of the GRF), in any state fiscal year.

(h-1) Requires the comptroller to, notwithstanding Subsection (g)(3), if in any state fiscal year the amount received by the comptroller under that subsection for deposit to the credit of the permanent fund for emergency medical services and trauma care exceeds $3 million, deposit the additional amount to the credit of the GRF.

SECTION 3. Makes application of Section 542.4031, Transportation Code, as amended by this Act, prospective.

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2017.