By: King of Hemphill H.B. No. 4599
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the transfer of duties of the State Office of Rural
  Health from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of
  State Health Services.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  On September 1, 2023:
               (1)  the administration of the State Office of the
  Rural Health is transferred from the Office of Rural Affairs under
  the Texas Department of Agriculture to the Department of State
  Health Services;
               (2)  all rules, policies, procedures, and decisions of
  the Office of Rural Affairs or the Department of Agriculture
  relating to the administration of the State Office of Rural Health
  are continued in effect as rules, policies, procedures, and
  decisions of the office until superseded by a rule or other
  appropriate action by Department of State Health Services; and
               (3)  a reference in law or administrative rule to the
  Department of Agriculture or State Office of Rural Affairs relating
  to the administration of the State Office of Rural Affairs means
  Department of State Health Services.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 12, Health and Safety
  Code, is amended by adding Section 12.021 to read as follows:
         Sec. 12.021.  STATE OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH. The department
  shall ensure that the office qualifies as the state's office of
  rural health for the purpose of receiving grants from the Office of
  Rural Health Policy of the United States Department of Health and
  Human Services under 42 U.S.C. Section 254r.
         SECTION 3.  Subdivision 487.051(9), Government Code, is
  repealed.
         SECTION 4.  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.