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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to expanding access to women's health care services and |
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family planning services by removing restrictions on the |
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participation of certain health care providers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act shall be known as the Free |
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Choice of Provider Act. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 531.0025. [RESTRICTIONS ON] AWARDS TO FAMILY PLANNING |
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SERVICE PROVIDERS. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, money |
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appropriated to the commission [Department of State Health |
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Services] for the purpose of providing family planning services |
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shall [must] be awarded: |
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(1) to eligible public and nonpublic entities that |
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provide family planning services according to [in] the following |
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order of descending priority: |
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(A) the demonstrated, evidence-based, historical |
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ability of each entity to achieve the patient and service |
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utilization goals of the family planning services, or [public |
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entities that provide family planning services, including state, |
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county, and local community health clinics and federally qualified |
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health centers]; |
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(B) the likelihood of the entity to meet patient |
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and service utilization goals based on standards set by the agency. |
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[nonpublic entities that provide comprehensive primary and |
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preventive care services in addition to family planning services; |
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and] |
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[(C) nonpublic entities that provide family |
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planning services but do not provide comprehensive primary and |
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preventive care services; or] |
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[(2) as otherwise directed by the legislature in the |
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General Appropriations Act.] |
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(b) The legislature shall not direct the commission to award |
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money appropriated for the purpose of providing family planning |
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services otherwise in the General Appropriations Act. |
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(c b) Notwithstanding Subsections (a) and (b), the |
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commission [Department of State Health Services] shall, in |
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compliance with federal law, ensure distribution of funds for |
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family planning services in a manner that provides equitable access |
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to services in [does not severely limit or eliminate access to those |
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services in any] all regions of the state. |
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SECTION 3. The following laws are repealed: |
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(1) Chapter 2272, Government Code, as added by Chapter |
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501 (S.B. 22), Acts of the 86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019; |
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(2) Section 32.024(c-1), Human Resources Code. |
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SECTION 3. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails |
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over another Act of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, |
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relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted |
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codes. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |