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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of grants under the emergency medical services |
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assistance program and the distribution of certain revenue received |
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by the comptroller. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 773.251, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Subdivision (4) to read as follows: |
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(4) "Scholarship program" means the Emergency Medical |
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Services Scholarship Program established under Section 773.2555. |
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SECTION 2. Section 773.252(b), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) The program includes grants to: |
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(1) eligible emergency medical services providers; |
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(2) trauma service area regional advisory councils; |
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(3) provide funding for [and] an educational |
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curriculum to train [provide training to] rural emergency medical |
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services personnel; and |
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(4) provide funding for the scholarship program. |
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SECTION 3. Section 773.253(a), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary |
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to implement this subchapter, including rules for: |
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(1) determining eligibility under the program; |
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(2) establishing requirements for the educational |
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curriculum; [and] |
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(3) establishing requirements for a general academic |
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teaching institution, medical and dental unit, other agency of |
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higher education, or public technical institute that develops and |
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offers the educational curriculum; and |
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(4) determining eligibility under the scholarship |
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program and the coursework that qualifies for a scholarship awarded |
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under the scholarship program. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter I, Chapter 773, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 773.2555 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 773.2555. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SCHOLARSHIP |
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PROGRAM. (a) The executive commissioner by rule shall establish |
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the Emergency Medical Services Scholarship Program to provide |
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financial assistance to emergency medical services personnel to pay |
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tuition and other applicable fees for eligible coursework, as |
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determined in accordance with the rules adopted under this |
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subchapter, at institutions of higher education. |
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(b) Emergency medical services personnel may apply to the |
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department in the form and manner provided by executive |
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commissioner rule to receive a scholarship under the scholarship |
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program. |
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(c) If the department determines an applicant is eligible |
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for assistance under the scholarship program, the department may |
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provide a grant under Section 773.257 to the applicant. |
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SECTION 5. The heading to Section 773.257, Health and |
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Safety Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 773.257. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ASSISTANCE |
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PROGRAM ACCOUNT; GRANTS. |
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SECTION 6. Section 773.257(a), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The emergency medical services assistance program |
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account is created as a dedicated account in the general revenue |
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fund of the state treasury. Money in the account may be appropriated |
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only to the department [The commissioner may use money from the
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permanent fund for emergency medical services and trauma care
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established under Section 403.106, Government Code,] to provide |
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grants, in addition to funding available from other sources, to: |
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(1) emergency medical services providers applying for |
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assistance under the program; |
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(2) trauma service area regional advisory councils; |
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(3) [or to] provide funding to a general academic |
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teaching institution, medical and dental unit, other agency of |
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higher education, or public technical institute offering the |
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educational curriculum under this subchapter; or |
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(4) emergency medical services personnel applying for |
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assistance under the scholarship program. |
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SECTION 7. Section 542.4031(g), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(g) Of the money received by the comptroller under this |
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section, the comptroller shall deposit: |
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(1) 57 [67] percent to the credit of the undedicated |
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portion of the general revenue fund; [and] |
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(2) 33 percent to the credit of the designated trauma |
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facility and emergency medical services account under Section |
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780.003, Health and Safety Code; and |
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(3) 10 percent to the credit of the emergency medical |
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services assistance program account created under Section 773.257, |
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Health and Safety Code. |
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SECTION 8. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall adopt rules as necessary to implement the |
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changes in law made by this Act. |
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SECTION 9. Section 542.4031(g), Transportation Code, as |
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amended by this Act, applies only to the distribution of revenue |
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collected on or after the effective date of this Act. The |
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distribution of revenue collected before the effective date of this |
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Act is governed by the law in effect at the time the revenue was |
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collected, and that law is continued in effect for the purpose of |
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the distribution of that revenue. |
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SECTION 10. The Department of State Health Services is |
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required to implement a provision of this Act only if the |
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legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If |
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the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that |
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purpose, the department may, but is not required to, implement a |
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provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 11. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |