By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1636
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to an annual report prepared by the Health Professions
  Council.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 101.151, Occupations Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 101.151.  ANNUAL REPORT. (a)  The council shall
  prepare an annual report that includes:
               (1)  a statistical compilation of enforcement actions
  taken by a regulatory agency listed in Section 101.002;
               (2)  recommendations for statutory changes to improve
  the regulation of the health care professions; [and]
               (3)  strategies to expand the health care workforce in
  this state, including:
                     (A)  methods for reducing the time required to
  process license applications for health care professions;
                     (B)  methods for increasing the number of health
  care practitioners providing mental and behavioral health care
  services; and
                     (C)  any statutory and legislative appropriation
  recommendations the council determines are appropriate for
  expanding the health care workforce in this state, including
  recommendations for expanding the health care workforce in
  medically underserved areas; and
               (4) [(3)]  other relevant information and
  recommendations determined necessary by the council.
         (b)  The council shall send the report to the governor, the
  lieutenant governor, [and] the speaker of the house of
  representatives, the chairs of the standing committees of the
  senate and the house of representatives having primary jurisdiction
  over public health, and the chairs of the standing committees of the
  senate and the house of representatives having primary jurisdiction
  over state finance or appropriations not later than February 1 of
  each year.
         SECTION 2.  Notwithstanding Section 101.151, Occupations
  Code, as amended by this Act, the Health Professions Council
  established under Chapter 101, Occupations Code:
               (1)  is not required to include in the annual report
  required under Section 101.151 the strategies described by Section
  101.151(a)(3), Occupations Code, as added by this Act, until
  February 1, 2021; and
               (2)  shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant
  governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, the chairs
  of the standing committees of the senate and the house of
  representatives having primary jurisdiction over public health,
  and the chairs of the standing committees of the senate and the
  house of representatives having primary jurisdiction over state
  finance or appropriations a report that includes only the
  strategies described by Section 101.151(a)(3) not later than June
  1, 2020.
         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, 2019.