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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a prohibition on the use of state or local money by |
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certain hospitals to pay for travel nurses. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle F, Title 4, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 318 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 318. PROHIBITION ON USE OF STATE OR LOCAL MONEY BY CERTAIN |
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HOSPITALS |
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Sec. 318.0001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "COVID-19" means the 2019 novel coronavirus |
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disease. |
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(2) "Hospital" means a public or private facility |
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licensed under Chapter 241. |
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(3) "Local governmental entity" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 315.001. |
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Sec. 318.0002. PROHIBITION ON USE OF STATE OR LOCAL MONEY |
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FOR TRAVEL NURSES. A hospital may not use nonfederal money received |
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by the hospital from this state or a local governmental entity to |
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compensate a travel nurse if the travel nurse is filling a position |
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that is vacant because the hospital terminated a member of the |
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hospital's nursing staff for refusing to comply with a mandate |
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requiring a COVID-19 vaccination imposed by the hospital or the |
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state or federal government. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the |
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legislative session. |