88R19604 GCB-D
 
  By: VanDeaver H.B. No. 1238
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1238:
 
  By:  Hull C.S.H.B. No. 1238
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the school health and related services program,
  including parental consent for program services, the establishment
  of a school health and related services program advisory council,
  and the publication of the School Health and Related Services
  (SHARS) Handbook portion of the Texas Medicaid Provider Procedures
  Manual.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 38.035 to read as follows:
         Sec. 38.035.  SCHOOL HEALTH AND RELATED SERVICES PROGRAM:
  PARENTAL CONSENT.  (a)  For each student for whom a school district
  or open-enrollment charter school may request reimbursement under
  the school health and related services program during a school
  year, the district or school shall obtain written parental consent
  for disclosure to the district or school, the agency, or the Health
  and Human Services Commission of the student's personally
  identifiable information, as necessary to administer the program.
         (b)  The parent's written consent under Subsection (a) must
  be in a form that satisfies the requirements of the Family
  Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section
  1232g).
         (c)  A school district or open-enrollment charter school
  shall provide a copy of a parent's written consent under Subsection
  (a) to the agency and the Health and Human Services Commission for
  the agency and the commission to maintain in the agency's and the
  commission's records as necessary to administer the program.
         (d)  Parental consent obtained in compliance with Subsection
  (a) for a school year is sufficient for all program-related
  purposes of the agency or the Health and Human Services Commission
  involving the use of a student's personally identifiable
  information for the remainder of that year. The school district or
  open-enrollment charter school, the agency, or the commission may
  not require additional parental consent other than the written
  consent described by Subsection (a) for a program-related purpose
  that does not involve the sharing of a student's personally
  identifiable information.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 531.021183 to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.021183.  SCHOOL HEALTH AND RELATED SERVICES (SHARS)
  HANDBOOK. (a) Not later than July 1 of each year, the commission
  shall publish an update to the School Health and Related Services
  (SHARS) Handbook portion of the Texas Medicaid Provider Procedures
  Manual for providers of services to Medicaid recipients.
         (b)  For at least 60 days before publishing an update to the
  School Health and Related Services (SHARS) Handbook, the executive
  commissioner by rule shall establish a procedure allowing the
  public to inspect and comment on proposed changes to the handbook in
  the same manner that public inspection and comment is provided in
  the rulemaking process under Chapter 2001.
         (c)  The commission shall consult the advisory council
  established under Chapter 106, Health and Safety Code, regarding
  any proposed changes to the handbook.
         SECTION 3.  Subtitle E, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Chapter 106 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 106. SCHOOL HEALTH AND RELATED SERVICES PROGRAM
  ADVISORY COUNCIL
         Sec. 106.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Advisory council" means the school health and
  related services program advisory council established under this
  chapter.
               (2)  "Agency" means the Texas Education Agency.
               (3)  "SHARS handbook" means the School Health and
  Related Services (SHARS) Handbook portion of the Texas Medicaid
  Provider Procedures Manual described by Section 531.021183,
  Government Code.
               (4)  "Program" means the school health and related
  services program under which certain health-related services
  provided under a student's individualized education program are
  eligible for Medicaid reimbursement.
         Sec. 106.002.  COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL. (a)  The advisory
  council is composed of 13 members as follows:
               (1)  one employee of the agency with administrative
  duties involving the program;
               (2)  two employees of the commission with
  administrative duties involving the program;
               (3)  one superintendent or chief financial officer of a
  school district with a student enrollment of at least 5,000
  students;
               (4)  one superintendent or chief financial officer of a
  school district eligible for the allotment under Section 48.101(c),
  Education Code;
               (5)  one superintendent or chief financial officer of a
  school district eligible for the allotment under Section 48.101(b)
  or (d), Education Code;
               (6)  one special education director employed by a
  school district described by Subdivision (3);
               (7)  one special education director employed by a
  school district described by Subdivision (4);
               (8)  one special education director employed by a
  school district described by Subdivision (5);
               (9)  two persons who are each a parent of a student
  eligible for reimbursement under the program;
               (10)  one member of an advocacy group for children with
  special needs; and
               (11)  one provider of special education services.
         (b)  The commissioner of education shall appoint the member
  described by Subsection (a)(1).  The executive commissioner or the
  executive commissioner's designee shall:
               (1)  appoint the remaining 12 members to the advisory
  council; and
               (2)  designate one member as chair of the advisory
  council.
         (c)  An appointment to a vacancy on the advisory council
  shall be made in the same manner as the original appointment.  A
  member is eligible for reappointment.
         Sec. 106.003.  TERMS. Members of the advisory council serve
  staggered four-year terms, with the terms of six or seven members
  expiring on August 31 of each odd-numbered year.
         Sec. 106.004.  REIMBURSEMENT.  Members of the advisory
  council serve without compensation but are entitled to
  reimbursement for travel expenses.
         Sec. 106.005.  COUNCIL DUTIES; ADVISORY STATUS. (a)  The
  advisory council shall advise the agency and the commission
  regarding:
               (1)  implementing and administering the program;
               (2)  incorporating changes to federal law governing the
  program;
               (3)  publishing the SHARS handbook, including the
  adoption of potential amendments to the handbook; and
               (4)  any other issue involving the administration of
  the program or the publication of the handbook.
         (b)  Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the
  advisory council.
         Sec. 106.006.  ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND FUNDING.  (a)  The
  commission shall provide administrative support for the advisory
  council.
         (b)  Funding for the administrative and operational expenses
  of the advisory council shall be provided by legislative
  appropriation made to the commission for that purpose.
         Sec. 106.007.  RULES. The executive commissioner may adopt
  rules as necessary to implement this chapter.
         SECTION 4.  Notwithstanding Section 531.021183, Government
  Code, as added by this Act, the Health and Human Services Commission
  shall publish the update to the School Health and Related Services
  (SHARS) Handbook portion of the Texas Medicaid Provider Procedures
  Manual as soon as practicable and not later than October 1, 2023.
  The Health and Human Services Commission shall publish the update
  to the handbook by a date not later than July 1 in 2024 and each
  subsequent year.
         SECTION 5.  As soon as practicable and not later than October
  1, 2023, the commissioner of education and the executive
  commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall
  appoint the members of the school health and related services
  program advisory council established under Chapter 106, Health and
  Safety Code, as added by this Act, and shall provide for staggered
  member terms as required by that chapter.
         SECTION 6.  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, 2023.