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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishing a nutritional support grant program for |
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certain medically fragile children. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter C to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER C. NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT GRANT PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN |
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MEDICALLY FRAGILE CHILDREN |
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Sec. 33.101. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Grant program" means the nutritional support |
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grant program for medically fragile children established under this |
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subchapter. |
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(2) "Medically fragile child" means a person younger |
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than 18 years of age who is: |
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(A) chronically ill or disabled and requires |
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indefinite skilled nursing care to maintain the person's existence |
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in the person's home; |
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(B) temporarily ill or disabled because of |
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premature birth, accident, or trauma and has experienced a |
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temporary lifestyle change requiring skilled nursing care; |
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(C) suffering from uncontrollable seizures or |
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other chronic illness; or |
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(D) chronically dependent on medical devices to |
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perform vital bodily functions. |
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Sec. 33.102. ESTABLISHMENT OF GRANT PROGRAM. The executive |
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commissioner by rule shall develop and implement a grant program to |
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provide financial assistance to the families of medically fragile |
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children who have been diagnosed with a rare or unique disease or |
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medical condition for the purpose of assisting families in paying |
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the costs associated with providing specialized nutritional |
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support for that child. |
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Sec. 33.103. ELIGIBILITY. (a) The executive commissioner |
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by rule shall establish eligibility criteria for awarding grants |
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under the grant program. The criteria must provide that for a person |
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to be eligible for a grant, the person must: |
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(1) be the parent and primary caregiver of a medically |
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fragile child with a rare or unique disease or medical condition |
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that requires specialized nutritional support, including enteral |
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nutrition; and |
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(2) lack or have inadequate health benefit plan |
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coverage to pay the costs associated with providing that support. |
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(b) The executive commissioner by rule shall identify the |
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diagnoses considered rare and unique for purposes of Subsection |
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(a)(1). |
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(c) The executive commissioner may not impose income |
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eligibility requirements under the grant program. |
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Sec. 33.104. AWARD OF GRANTS. (a) The commission may |
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approve grants according to commission rules. |
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(b) A grant awarded under this subchapter is governed by |
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Chapter 783, Government Code, and rules adopted under that chapter. |
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Sec. 33.105. FUNDING. The commission shall award grants as |
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provided by this subchapter from available money and any additional |
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money appropriated for this purpose. |
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Sec. 33.106. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The commission |
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may accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source that are |
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made for the purposes of the grant program. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2022, the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall |
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adopt rules necessary to implement Subchapter C, Chapter 33, Human |
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Resources Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |