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21 Document(s) [ Subject: ]

Committee: Senate Finance
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Bail | Border security | Coronavirus | Economy | Employees Retirement System of Texas | Federal funds | Harris County | Homestead exemptions | Hospitals | Inflation | Investment of public funds | Long-term care | Medicaid | Mental health services | Nursing homes | Operation Lone Star (Border security) | Property tax exemptions | Property taxes | Public retirement systems | Recidivism | Retirees | Russia | School finance | State employee salaries | State employee turnover | Tax and expenditure limits | Tax revenue | Teacher Retirement System of Texas |
Library Call Number: L1836.87 F49
Session: 87th R.S. (2021)
Online version: View report [108 pages  File size: 4,001 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Federal Funds: Report on the state use of federal COVID-19 relief funds provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, the American Rescue Plan Act, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Acts, and similar federal legislation. Examine local use of federal relief funding, including funding provided to school districts through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. Evaluate the overall fiscal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on state agencies, including costs incurred due to federal mandates. Identify barriers to the effective utilization of funds and make recommendations on the expenditure of unappropriated funds. In addition, evaluate and report on the spending by state agencies that have been utilizing "one-time" federal funding (temporary enhancements, e.g. FMAP and ESSER) sources, where federal funding will likely be significantly reduced in future biennia.
2. Property Tax Relief: Examine and recommend ways to reduce Texans' property tax burden. Review and report on proposals to use or dedicate state revenues in excess of the state spending limit to eliminate the school district maintenance and operations property tax.
3. Inflation: Review and report on the effect inflation is having on the business community and state government, including state salaries, retiree benefits, the state economy, and cost of state services.
4. Inflation: Review and report on the impact of inflation on units of local governments' revenue collections and property taxpayers' tax bills, including the homestead exemption.
5. Tax Exemptions: Examine Texans' current tax exemptions and report on whether adjustments are merited because of inflation or any other factors.
6. Russia Divestiture: Examine and report on options for state asset owners to divest their positions in companies that invest in the Russian Federation.
7. State Pension Reforms: Monitor the implementation of recent statewide pension reforms to the Employees Retirement System of Texas and the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
8. Bail Bond Reform: Monitor the implementation of recent bail bond reform legislation along with its economic impact on the judicial and correctional system. Assess any barriers to implementation, the law’s effect on pretrial release and jail populations, and ways to further promote public safety and efficiency.
9. Operation Lone Star: Monitor appropriations and spending supporting Operation Lone Star. Evaluate and report on the effectiveness of spending to secure the southern border. Identify and report on resources needed to ensure support for the State National Guard, as well as overall resources necessary for border security for future legislative consideration.
10. Long-term Care Funding: Examine state investments in the long-term nursing home care system. Study nursing facility funding issues and the impact of the pandemic on capacity and delivery of care. Explore nursing facility quality metrics and recommend strategies to improve the sustainability of the long-term care workforce.
11. Medicaid: Monitor the financial impact of federal decision-making affecting supplemental Medicaid funding for Texas hospitals and health care systems, including negotiations between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Texas Medicaid agency regarding the state's 1115 Medicaid waiver and other federal proposals reducing supplemental funding streams for Texas.
12. Mental Health Delivery: Examine the state mental health service delivery system. Study the state's Comprehensive Plan for State-Funded Inpatient Mental Health Services and the Statewide Behavioral Health Strategic Plan and evaluate the existing state investments in mental health services and state hospital capacity. Review current forensic and civil mental health service waitlists, and recommend ways to improve coordination and outcomes to reduce waitlists. Explore and report on options for additional mental health service capacity, including building state hospitals in the Panhandle and Rio Grande Valley areas.
Committee: House Public Health
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Border health | Drug overdoses | Drug-related deaths | Hospitals | Interstate compacts | Medical education | Medical licensing | Medical marijuana | Nursing shortages | Opioids | Physician shortages | Public health | Rural health care | Substance abuse | Telemedicine |
Library Call Number: L1836.87 H39h
Session: 87th R.S. (2021)
Online version: View report [108 pages  File size: 2,369 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Consider issues involving access to health care along the Texas-Mexico border, including, but not limited to, the ability to access providers, hospital capacity, pharmaceutical adequacy and whether any particularized training or education is necessary or appropriate.
2. Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:
  • HB 4, 87th R.S., relating to the provision and delivery of telemedicine and telehealth services; and
  • HB 1616, 87th R.S., relating to the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact.
3. Study the impact of fentanyl-related overdoses and deaths in Texas. Evaluate existing data collection, dissemination, and mitigation strategies regarding opioid abuse in Texas. Make recommendations to improve coordinated prevention, education, treatment, and data-sharing.
4. Study current telemedicine trends by assessing and making recommendations related to standardizing required documentation healthcare providers must obtain for consent for treatment, data collection, sharing and retention schedules, and providing telemedicine medical services to certain cancer patients receiving pain management services and supportive palliative care.
5. Examine existing resources and available opportunities to strengthen the state’s nursing and other health professional workforce, including rural physicians and nurses.
6. Assess ongoing challenges in the rural health care system and the impact of legislation and funding from the 87th regular and special sessions on strengthening rural health care and the sustainability of rural hospitals and health care providers. Evaluate federal regulations authorizing the creation of a Rural Emergency Hospital provider type and determine if promoting this type of facility could increase local access to care in rural areas of the state.
Committee: House County Affairs
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Counties | County jails | Ebola | Emergency management | Homelessness | Hospitals | Jail population | Jail Standards, Texas Commission on | Managed care | Marijuana | Medicaid | Mental health services | Population growth | Specialty courts | Veterans |
Library Call Number: L1836.83 C832
Session: 83rd R.S. (2013)
Online version: View report [106 pages]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Examine population growth in Texas counties and the impact the growth has had on housing, available land resources, businesses in Texas, as well as the impact of growth on the state's economy. Evaluate Texas's preparedness to respond to future growth and ensure economic stability.
2. Continue oversight of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards and issues jails currently face, including the mental health of those in jail, and make recommendations for refinement or improvement of processes and programs.
3. Monitor the health advisory panel stemming from HB 3793, 83rd R.S..
4. Determine which counties have implemented a cite-and-summons policy, whether the policy has been effective in lessening overcrowding in county jails, and whether those cited by peace officers comply with the policy.
5. Study the implementation of SB 462, 83rd R.S.. Examine which counties currently have veterans courts, as well as veterans courts in other states, and determine how those programs are working and whether these courts provide additional services or resources for veterans. Make appropriate recommendations. (Joint charge with the House Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs)
6. Conduct legislative oversight and monitoring of the agencies and programs under the committee’s jurisdiction and the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 83rd Legislature. In conducting this oversight, the committee should: a. consider any reforms to state agencies to make them more responsive to Texas taxpayers and citizens; b. identify issues regarding the agency or its governance that may be appropriate to investigate, improve, remedy, or eliminate; c. determine whether an agency is operating in a transparent and efficient manner; and d. identify opportunities to streamline programs and services while maintaining the mission of the agency and its programs.
Supporting documents
Committee: House County Affairs
Title: Committee meeting handouts and testimony, March 10, 2014 (Population growth, Texas Commission on Jail Standards and county jails, HB 3793 mental health advisory panel, Medicaid 1115 waiver, veterans courts)
Library Catalog Title: Minutes
Library Call Number: L1801.9 C832 83 2014: MAR 10
Session: 83rd R.S. (2013)
Online version: View document [170 pages  File size: 8,459 kb]
Committee: House County Affairs
Title: Committee meeting handouts and testimony, May 5, 2014 (Texas Commission on Jail Standards and county jails, HB 3793 mental health advisory panel, cite-and-summons policy, oversight of healthy community collaboratives)
Library Call Number:
Session: 83rd R.S. (2013)
Online version: View document [102 pages  File size: 9,604 kb]
Committee: House County Affairs
Title: Committee meeting handouts and testimony, May 15, 2014 (Medicaid 1115 waiver)
Library Call Number:
Session: 83rd R.S. (2013)
Online version: View document [220 pages  File size: 41,128 kb]
Committee: House County Affairs
Title: Committee meeting handouts and testimony, October 20, 2014 (Population growth, Texas Commission on Jail Standards and county jails, HB 3793 mental health advisory panel, emergency response preparedness/ebola)
Library Call Number:
Session: 83rd R.S. (2013)
Online version: View document [171 pages  File size: 12,739 kb]
Committee: Senate Finance
Title: Interim Report
Library Catalog Title: Interim charge recommendations to the 82nd Legislature
Subjects: Affordable housing | Aging and Disability Services, Texas Department of | Border security | Business taxes | Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas | Disaster relief | Economic stabilization | Federal aid | Highway finance | Hospitals | Mineral rights | Nursing education | Prepaid tuition plans | Property tax exemptions | Property taxes | Rural health care | State budgets | Tax and expenditure limits | Tax appraisals | Tax incentives | Tax revenue | Tobacco taxes | Traffic | Transportation, Texas Department of | Tropical storms | University finance | University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston |
Library Call Number: L1836.81 F49
Session: 81st R.S. (2009)
Online version: View report [158 pages  File size: 7,366 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Review and make recommendations regarding existing and future public debt at all levels of government in Texas, including independent school districts, cities, other local governments and the Texas Guaranteed Tuition Plan.
2. Study the impact of recent hurricanes for which a federal disaster declaration was issued on local economies. Examine the basis for the distribution of federal dollars for hurricane cleanup across the state. Review past methods of distribution, including those involving the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and the Office of Rural Community Affairs. Develop policy and statutory recommendations to ensure that the system of distribution is effective to address needs of the various regions of the state in the event of future disasters. Provide effective budget oversight of state agencies that received appropriations as a result of hurricane damage. Examine the rebuilding of University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and the collection and proper deposit of federal reimbursements.
3. Review the effect that Texas Business Tax credits, such as a research and development credit, have on economic development in Texas. Determine whether the costs of various tax credits would be adequately offset by the net increase in state sales tax and other revenues and jobs produced by each credit. Focus on businesses relocating to or from the State of Texas, the impact on the tax base, employment, and the overall economic condition of the state.
4. Identify and evaluate potential improvements to the property tax system. Consider and make recommendations relating to the following:
  • Methods to increase public participation in the tax rate-setting process and ensure fairness in appraisal protests and appeals;
  • Requirement that property appraisal values may not increase by more than inflation and/or population growth, or another amount to be determined by local taxing authorities, with a maximum cap of 10 percent;
  • Exemptions provided to community housing development organizations to determine if changes are needed to ensure that the public benefits outweigh the revenue loss;
  • Methods and procedures for determining a real property interest in oil or gas in place, as contained in Texas Tax Code Sec. 23.175, including how market-based data and market-based methodology could possibly be used to ensure fair, reliable, and equitable price forecasts of oil and gas interests. Analyze the need for the creation of an Oil and Gas Valuation Advisory Committee to assist in forecasting current calendar year statewide average prices for oil and gas; and
  • the constitutional constraints and fiscal implications of exempting real property, leased to a school, as defined by Section 11.21 of the Tax Code, from ad valorem taxation.
5. Examine the Texas Tomorrow Fund and its impact on institutions of higher education. Assess current and future costs, the ability of institutions to absorb the costs, and make recommendations for ensuring a sound fiscal approach to managing the fund for the future.
6. Study the impact of changing the constitutional and statutory spending limit based on the sum of the rate of population growth and the rate of inflation. Examine what past biennial spending limits would have been, and what the next biennium's limit might be, under a new definition. Consider the impact of exempting growth from federally mandated programs.
7. Study and make recommendations regarding formula funding and its impact on the cost of attendance and methods of financing higher education institutions, including funding differences for pharmacy and nursing programs; research funding; performance funding; and funding for institutions that face capacity student enrollment. Specifically address the following:
  • Methods of financing capital projects at higher education institutions, including the levels of deferred maintenance, the impact of deferred maintenance on the ability to offer basic instructional services, and the methods used to finance deferred maintenance projects. Recommend alternatives for providing a structured and recurring funding mechanism more suited to the state's fiscal capacity and institutional needs
  • Supplemental funding for structured programs that are essential for student success and for meeting the goals of Closing the Gaps, including those that provide concentrated student academic and personal support services for universities that enroll a high proportion of non-traditional or at-risk students. Study and make recommendations regarding the quality and effectiveness of academic advising, focusing on resources, staff development, and impact on time­ to-degree.
8. Review the capacity of rural hospitals, rural hospital infrastructure, and the statewide impact of services provided by rural hospitals. Make recommendations for funding options to help communities that do not have adequate resources to replace aging infrastructure and consider the creation ofa rural hospital infrastructure support program similar to the courthouse preservations fund.
9. Examine transportation funding concepts contained in legislation considered during the 81 st Legislature, Regular and Special Sessions. Analyze options and make recommendations relating to historical funding strategies, including prioritization of existing revenues, as well as alternative state and local transportation funding concepts. (Joint charge with Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee)
  • Ensure that the pass-through program reimbursements to contractors and local public entities are based on actual project costs and not cost estimates.
  • Prioritize necessary road construction projects and target financing to those segments that affect the largest number of Texans through congestion mitigation.
  • Ensure that Texas receives the best value for its investment. (Subcharges added pursuant to Dewhurst letter dated 4/8/2010.)
10. Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Finance, 81 st Legislature, Regular and Called Sessions, and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation. Specifically, monitor the following:
  • The Legislative Budget Board effectiveness and efficiency review of Chapter 313, Tax Code. Consider whether tax provisions provide a net benefit to the state.
  • Monitor ongoing faculty recruitment and retention for Texas nursing schools, and assess the impact ofincreased state funds to nursing schools to increase faculty salaries and add new teaching schools.
  • Monitor the use of Byrne Grant Border security funds, including whether additional funds need to be spent on communications interoperability.
  • Monitor the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) implementation of SB 643, emergency legislation relating to Texas' state supported living centers (SSLCs), implementation of Special Provisions relating to All Health and Human Services Agencies, Section 48, Contingency Appropriation for the Reshaping of the System for Providing Services to Individuals with Developmental Disabilities, and implementation of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) Settlement Agreement terms.
  • Provide effective budget oversight of Texas Department of Transportation's implementation of Riders 55 and 56, appropriations from State Highway Fund No. 006 and Proposition 12 General Obligation Bonds for reducing congested road segments.
  • Monitor the revenue receipts associated with the weight-based tobacco tax.
  • Monitor the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas grant making process to ensure that funds are spent efficiently and effectively.
  • Monitor the expenditure of federal American Resource and Recovery Act funds. Review the extent to which federal stimulus funds affected each agency's ability to meet or surpass its Performance Measure Targets. Consider the effect that delays in federal approvals have had on funding for public education and weatherization programs.
Committee: Senate Intergovernmental Relations
Title: Interim Report
Library Catalog Title: Interim report to the 82nd Texas Legislature / Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations.
Subjects: Comptroller of Public Accounts campaigns and elections | County government | Emergency services districts | Extraterritorial jurisdiction | Homeowners' associations | Hospitals | Housing and Community Affairs, Texas Department of | Land use regulations | Local government consolidation | Municipal annexation | Municipal government | Municipal utility districts | Open government | Physician shortages | Physicians | Property rights | Public improvement districts | Real property | Zoning |
Library Call Number: L1836.81 L786
Session: 81st R.S. (2009)
Online version: View report [437 pages  File size: 17,266 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Study current law governing homeowners associations with respect to ensuring that homeowners are given adequate protections against unfair foreclosures and are given proper channels for redress in case of foreclosure.
2. Monitor the proliferation of municipal utility districts (MUDs) outside the corporate limits or extraterritorial jurisdiction of municipalities and whether increased oversight of these districts by other political subdivisions is needed. Review the process for the creation of municipal utility districts (MUDs) through the template developed during the 81 st Legislative Session, including any changes needed to increase the efficiency and oversight over the creation of proposed districts. Review the process for creating special districts, including whether the creation of a template, similar to the one created for municipal utility districts (MUDs), is feasible and would enable the legislature to more effectively evaluate other proposed special districts during future Sessions.
3. Review the process and costs for local governments to make government information available online. Consider ways to encourage local governments to provide more transparency, including the Comptroller's experience with transparency and her offer to assist local governments, and consider penalties for entities that fail to comply with the online requirement.
4. Assess ways to facilitate property ownership registration to better enable individuals to participate in federal programs and make recommendations to improve processing times to provide improved access to funds.
5. Study the reasons for and the impacts of hospitals directly hiring physicians. Examine practices in other states. Make recommendations, if needed, to permit hospitals to directly hire physicians.
6. Review state and local policies related to development and growth in rural and unincorporated regions of the state with regard to annexation and zoning authority. Focus on impacts to private property rights. Determine the appropriateness of existing extraterritorial jurisdiction authority. Make recommendations regarding possible changes to this authority.
7. Review the types of support state government can provide to assist local government consolidations with county governments. Evaluate budget implications for city and county government consolidations. Research the appropriateness and cost savings of eliminating duplicity between city and county governments in different regions of the state.
8. Review the statutory authority granted to municipal management districts (MMDs) and to emergency service districts (ESDs), the authority of municipalities and counties to create public improvement districts (PIDs). Determine whether the authority granted for each entity is adequate to accomplish the goals of local governments. Assess whether the consolidation of ESDs under one statute would improve uniformity and provision of fire and emergency services through these districts.
9. Monitor the implementation oflegislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, 81st Legislature, Regular and Called Sessions, and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation.
  • Monitor the use of the expanded funds provided by the 81 st Legislature to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.
Committee: Senate State Affairs
Title: Interim Report
Library Catalog Title: Interim report to the 82nd Legislature
Subjects: Employees Retirement System of Texas | Financial investments | Fraud | Health care | Health care costs | Health insurance | Hospitals | Insurance agents | Insurance rates | Medically uninsured | Military personnel | Open government | Open Meetings Act, Texas | Public Information Act, Texas | Senior citizens | Teacher Retirement System of Texas | Voter registration | Voters | Voting by mail | Voting systems | Workers' compensation |
Library Call Number: L1836.81 ST29a
Session: 81st R.S. (2009)
Online version: View report [248 pages  File size: 24,817 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Upon passage of federal legislation relating to reform of the health care industry and health insurance industry, study the implications of such legislation on Texas, the health care industry, and public and private insurance. Study and monitor the implementation of the insurance regulatory changes, changes to high risk pool, and any other insurance mandates. Study the health care policy changes and the impact to the Medicaid and CHIP programs and the state budget. Assess the impact to all state uninsured and uncompensated care programs and county programs for the uninsured, including county property tax programs to pay for the uninsured. Make recommendations for the efficient implementation of programs. (Joint charge with Senate Health and Human Services Committee)
2. Monitor the actuarial and financial conditions of the pension and health care programs administered by the Teacher Retirement System and the Employees Retirement System. Assess the effectiveness of pilot programs designed to encourage the use of clinical integration, payments for good outcomes, use of best practices, focus on wellness and prevention, and bundling of costs for episodes of care, and other health care savings initiatives. Make recommendations for expanding the pilot programs for use across all private and state sponsored health care, including the Medicaid program, as a means to improve Texans' health and provide more effective care that allows for assistance for the uninsured. (SB 7, SB 8 and SB 10, 81st Legislature)
3. Study the implementation of the Healthy Texas program enacted by the 81st Legislature and the ongoing implementation of SB 1731, 80th Legislature, to determine if this program is effectively lowering health insurance costs and increasing access to health insurance for small business. Study and make recommendations about using this program to increase access to health insurance for sole proprietors. Review other states efforts to lower health care costs to small business owners and sole proprietors and incentivize small business owners and sole proprietors to purchase insurance.
4. Examine best practices for increasing the affordability and availability of health insurance in the individual and small group market, including medical underwriting practices, rescission of coverage, cancellation of coverage, rate regulation, and reporting of medical loss ratios.
5. Study how increased out-of-pocket costs for medications and treatment impact consumers' compliance with health care recommendations and how that response impacts overall health care costs. Review available research into value design programs.
6. Study ways to improve the efficiency and accuracy of voter registration rolls, including the feasibility and security of online registration and automatic registration and the accuracy of verification and purging of voters. Recommend ways to ensure that deceased or otherwise ineligible voters are not included on rolls while also ensuring that all eligible applicants are efficiently registered.
7. Study the transparency of organizational structures, policies and coverage associated with health insurance underwriters/agents and the relationship between underwriters/agents and policyholders.
8. Study the sale of annuities in Texas, particularly to seniors. Evaluate the requirements relating to rescission of an annuity contract, payment of surrender fees, return of money, contract forms, including a standard contract form, buyer's guide, agent's commission and disclosure of an agent's commission. Make recommendations for legislation, if needed, and consider whether the insurance commissioner by rule may limit an agent's commission.
9. Study the effect Texas hospital billing and collection practices have on the uninsured's and under-insured's access to hospital health care services, on the uninsured's and under­insured's economic circumstances, and on medical debt recorded as bad debt on hospital books and records. Assess whether hospital billing disparities involving pricing discounts between the uninsured and insured exist and make recommendations for any changes necessary.
10. Study the adequacy of workers' compensation benefits in the following categories: lifetime income benefits, wage benefits for the high wage earner, and workers whose wage benefits stop before Social Security benefits begin. In order to determine the impact of increased benefits in one or more of these categories, work with the Texas Department of Insurance to develop a publicly accessible model to predict the costs related to those enhanced benefits, the effect of those costs on workers' compensation premiums, and whether enrollment in the workers' compensation system will be adversely impacted by increasing the benefits in one or more of the stated categories.
11. Study whether subrogation claims by writers of workers' compensation policies should be limited or prohibited. Study the effect on workers' compensation premiums, if any, if subrogation claims by writers of workers' compensation policies are limited or prohibited. Consider the feasibility of developing a publicly accessible model to predict the impact on workers' compensation premiums, if any, if subrogation claims by writers of workers' compensation policies are limited or prohibited, while protecting confidentiality as required by law and study whether the impact on workers' compensation premiums, if any, would adversely impact enrollment in the workers' compensation system.
12. Study and make recommendations regarding access to voting by members of the military serving in the United States and abroad, including the feasibility of electronic delivery of ballots.
13. Study the Public Information Act and the Open Meetings Act to ensure that government continues to operate in a way that is open and transparent. The study should consider how advances in technology and the emergence of various forms of social media (e.g. Facebook, MySpace, Twitter) have affected communications by and within governmental bodies.
14. Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on State Affairs, 81 st Legislature, Regular and Called Sessions, and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation.
Committee: Senate Finance
Title: Interim Report - General Government
Library Catalog Title: Interim report
Subjects: Existing Debt Allotment | Fiscal management | Health care costs | Hospital districts | Hospitals | Instructional Facilities Allotment Program | Privatization | School buildings | School districts | School finance | State land | Texas Lottery |
Library Call Number: L1836.80 F49g
Session: 80th R.S. (2007)
Online version: View report [51 pages  File size: 8,320 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Study the effectiveness of cash management strategies of the state. Review the quarterly amount of cash on hand and its use and potential to generate excess returns. Include an assessment of cash flow problems that exist in school districts and request that the Comptroller of Public Accounts report on the additional short-term borrowing needed and the potential impact on bond ratings if legislation is not passed which allows for the "smoothing" of state payments to school districts.
2. Explore the policy implications of allowing school districts, or other public agencies, to participate in a permissive pooled collateral program which provides for the centralization of collateral in a pool which will be tracked and verified to meet state requirements.
3. Compile a list of significant state assets and infrastructure, including but not limited to the state lottery and state real property, and determine if each asset is being used to the highest and best use possible in the interest of taxpayers of Texas. Where appropriate, provide analysis of alternative uses of underperforming assets, potential cost savings or revenue gains and the legislative actions that would be needed to make the changes that are in the best interest of taxpayers.
4. Study the funding of county public hospitals and the role neighboring counties without a county hospital should play.
5. Review and evaluate appropriate state regulation of a private operator of the state lottery should the state receive bids for a lease of the lottery that merit strong consideration. Provide recommendations for ensuring the security and integrity of the lottery and for adequate consumer protections. (Joint charge with Senate State Affairs Committee)
6. Review and make recommendations that address the state's facility infrastructure needs for public schools, ensuring that funding remains stable, reliable and equitable. Examine the need for funding adjustments for factors that affect the need for facilities, such as fast growth, age and condition of facilities, adequacy of space, construction and land costs, and concentration of students requiring smaller class sizes. Assess the impact on property taxpayers of “rolling forward” the Existing Debt Allotment (EDA) each session and the change in biennial appropriations for the Instructional Facilities Allotment (IFA). (Joint Charge with Senate Education Committee)
Committee: Senate Health and Human Services
Title: Interim Report
Library Catalog Title: Interim report to the 79th Legislature
Subjects: Adult Protective Services | Call centers | Child Protective Services | Children's Health Insurance Program | Databases | Family and Protective Services, Texas Department of | Health care | Hospitals | Immunizations | Indigent health care | Long-term care | Medicaid | Medicaid fraud | Medical Board, Texas | Medicare | Prompt payment of insurance claims | Social service agencies | State government reorganization | Welfare |
Library Call Number: L1936.78 H349
Session: 78th R.S. (2003)
Online version: View report [247 pages  File size: 1,485 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Study and make recommendations on structural reform, efficiency improvements, and cost savings in the state Medicaid and CHIP programs, with a goal of changing the method and delivery of service to reduce costs while providing the intended services. The Committee should examine and make recommendations to: lower institutional costs; subsidize private insurance in lieu of Medicaid and CHIP where possible; use consumer-directed care models; reimburse health care providers based upon outcomes where feasible; match currently unmatched local funds with federal funds; alter Texas' current method of finance and distribution of DSH; develop possible HIFA waiver options that incorporate premium subsidization; develop accountability and incentive measures for outcomes within Medicaid managed care and CHIP; seek flexibility from federal government to allow options and waivers and enhance federal funds; examine local models for delivery of Medicaid while maintaining best practices; and expand access to mental health services through expansion of behavioral health organization model. The Committee will coordinate these studies with the Health and Human Services Transition Legislative Oversight Committee review of mental health and mental retardation services.
2. Monitor implementation and make recommendations to improve HB 2292, 78th R.S.. Include reviews of implementation of the preferred drug list and prior authorization and the new call center for determination of program and service eligibility. The Committee will coordinate activities with the Health and Human Services Transition Legislative Oversight Committee.
3. Study and make recommendations on improving Texas's county and local indigent health care system. Consider whether the system should be regionalized to reflect usage and gain efficiencies, so that one or more counties are not paying for regional health care.
4. Monitor the implementation and make recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of legislation relating to the Board of Medical Examiners, legislation relating to childhood immunizations, legislation relating to the pilot front end Medicaid fraud reduction systems, federal developments related to TANF reauthorization and related programs, expansion and new construction of Federally Qualified Health Centers, federal developments related to prescription drugs in Medicare and the effect on Medicaid. Also, monitor and report on the use of new federal Medicare funds allocated for Texas
5. Study and make recommendations on increasing electronic transactions in health care. Review the use and make recommendations on improving technology in health care administration, including expediting pre-authorizations and increasing the efficiency of claims processing so that medical providers are paid once procedures are pre-authorized and performed, and administrative costs lowered, benefitting both the consumer and the managed health care organizations.
6. Study health facility regulation in Texas and make recommendations that facilitate innovation and patient safety. Concentrate studies on hospitals, including niche hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers and long term care facilities, and make recommendations for improving patient choice, facility competition, indigent health care, and for maintaining a competitive, patient-oriented health care industry.
7. Study and make recommendations on improving the Protective and Regulatory Services service levels payment system and tiered adoption subsidy program. Study and make recommendations on improving the recruitment and retention of foster care families.
Committee: Senate Finance
Title: Interim Report - Graduate medical education
Library Catalog Title: Report to the Senate Finance Committee, 76th Texas Legislature / Senate Finance Committee Interim Subcommittee on Graduate Medical Education.
Subjects: Hospitals | Indigent health care | Medicaid | Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital Program, Texas | Medical education | Medical reimbursements |
Library Call Number: L1836.76 f49me
Session: 76th R.S. (1999)
Online version: View report [72 pages  File size: 3,045 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Evaluate the financial viability and educational effectiveness of graduate medical education in light of changes in Medicaid, managed care, and other cost factors, including the impact of uncompensated care. This evaluation shall include a review of the role of the state's teaching hospitals in the provision of indigent health care, and the role of graduate medical education in addressing health care needs of under-served regions of the state.
2. Review the Texas Disproportionate Share Hospital Program, with an emphasis on the formula and criteria used to distribute funding to hospitals. The committee's report should include a comprehensive assessment of all sources of funding (federal, state, and local) available to hospitals which serve Medicaid clients and the indigent poor, as well as the costs incurred by hospitals which serve Medicaid clients and the indigent poor, as well as the costs incurred by hospitals serving these groups. The committee will report any findings or recommendations by May 1. Subcommittee: Moncrief - Chairman, Truan, West, Carona, Lindsay SFC Staff: Nancy Frank, Laura Smith LBB: Kim Carson, Trey Berndt - Fed. Funds, Regina Martin - HHS
Committee: Senate Finance
Title: Interim Report - Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital Program
Library Catalog Title: Final report on Medicaid disproportionate share hospital funding / [submitted] to the Senate Finance Committee [by] Senate Finance Interim Subcommittee on Graduate Medical Education.
Subjects: Hospitals | Indigent health care | Medicaid | Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital Program, Texas | Medical reimbursements |
Library Call Number: L1836.76 f49meh
Session: 76th R.S. (1999)
Online version: View report [129 pages  File size: 7,339 kb]
Charge: This report should address the charge below.
1. Review the Texas Disproportionate Share Hospital Program, with an emphasis on the formula and criteria used to distribute funding to hospitals. The committee's report should include a comprehensive assessment of all sources of funding (federal, state, and local) available to hospitals which serve Medicaid clients and the indigent poor, as well as the costs incurred by hospitals which serve Medicaid clients and the indigent poor, as well as the costs incurred by hospitals serving these groups. The committee will report any findings or recommendations by May 1. Subcommittee: Moncrief - Chairman, Truan, West, Carona, Lindsay SFC Staff: Nancy Frank, Laura Smith LBB: Kim Carson, Trey Berndt - Fed. Funds, Regina Martin - HHS
Committee: House Public Health
Title: Interim Report
Library Catalog Title: House Committee on Public Health, Texas House of Representatives interim report, 2000 : a report to the House of Representatives, 77th Texas Legislature.
Subjects: Children's health insurance | Children's Health Insurance Program | e-commerce | Emergency medical services | Health care | Hospitals | Indigent health care | Internet | Managed care | Medicaid | Nonprofit hospitals | Pharmaceutical industry | Pharmacists | Prescription drug costs | Prescription drugs | Public health | State government contracts | Telemedicine | Trauma centers |
Library Call Number: L1836.76 h349h
Session: 76th R.S. (1999)
Online version: View report [275 pages  File size: 10,000 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Review the role of the pharmaceutical industry in the delivery of health care in Texas. The review should identify pharmaceutical cost-drivers and opportunities to reduce costs, assess the role of pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacies, and address patient-specific issues, as well as other issues identified by the committee.
2. Review issues related to the increased use of new technologies in the delivery of health care. The review should identify opportunities and risks associated with the sale of medical devices and drugs over the Internet, the feasibility of expanding telemedicine to improve care in underserved areas, and regulatory and privacy issues presented by these new technologies.
3. Evaluate the role and potential of disease management in public health programs that serve chronically ill populations.
4. Study issues arising from hospital system sales, conversions, partnerships and mergers, including the impact on health care in medically underserved and rural communities and on the level of charity care provided.
5. Examine the requirements imposed on emergency medical services providers in rural areas. Determine whether individual requirements encourage or hinder the provision of services.
6. Conduct active oversight of the agencies under the committee's jurisdiction, including the Children's Health Insurance Program, the restructuring of health and humans service agencies under HB 2641, 76th R.S., and the Medicaid managed care program.
Committee: Senate Finance
Title: Interim report - Texas' chest hospitals
Library Catalog Title: Supplemental charge to evaluate TDH's long range plan for Texas' chest hospitals : recommendations to the Senate Finance Interim Committee.
Subjects: Health, Texas Department of | Hospitals | South Texas Hospital | Texas Center for Infectious Disease | Tuberculosis | University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler |
Library Call Number: L1836.75 f49/75scrl/art. 2,8
Session: 75th R.S. (1997)
Online version: View report [71 pages  File size: 2,096 kb]
Charge: This report should address the charge below.
1. Supplemental charge: Evaluatethe Texas Department of Health Hospitals Long Range Plan.
Committee: Senate Health and Human Services, Interim
Title: Interim report - Rehabilitation services
Library Catalog Title: Private psychiatric, substance abuse, and medical rehabilitation services in Texas.
Subjects: Drug rehabilitation programs | Fraud | Hospitals | Mentally disabled persons | Mentally ill persons | Patients' rights |
Library Call Number: L1836.72 p939
Session: 72nd R.S. (1991)
Online version: View report [98 pages  File size: 3,212 kb]
Charge: This report should address the charge below.
1. The Committee shall study current laws relating to involuntary commitment of individuals to institutions.
Supporting documents
Committee: Senate Health and Human Services, Interim
Title: Committee documentation on private psychiatric and substance abuse services: interim committee meeting schedule, issues (medications, access to medical records, private psychiatric hospital standards, etc.), news articles
Library Catalog Title: Minutes
Library Call Number: L1836.72 P939M
Session: 72nd R.S. (1991)
Online version: View document [214 pages  File size: 6,057 kb]
Committee: Senate Health and Human Services, Interim
Title: Psychiatric hospital abuses: letter from Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation to Governor Ann Richards, information on abuse and neglect in private psychiatric hospitals
Library Catalog Title: Minutes
Library Call Number: L1803.9 H88 72
Session: 72nd R.S. (1991)
Online version: View document [112 pages  File size: 2,277 kb]
Committee: House Health Care
Title: Interim Report
Library Catalog Title: Report of the Texas Health Care Committee to Speaker Gus F. Mutscher and the House of Representatives of the 62nd Legislature.
Subjects: Hospitals | Medicare | Nursing shortages | Rural health care |
Library Call Number: L1836.61 m468
Session: 61st R.S. (1969)
Online version: View report [9 pages  File size: 361 kb]
Charge: This report should address the charge below.
1. Study federal Medicare regulations as they are applied to Class 7-C hospitals in Texas. *
Committee: House Appropriations Subcommittee on Hospital for Crippled and Deformed Children
Title: Report
Library Catalog Title: Report of Subcommittee in Regard to Hospital for Crippled and Deformed Children.
Subjects: Hospitals |
Library Call Number: H.J. of Tex., 43rd Leg., R.S. 2159 (1933)
Session: 43rd R.S. (1933)
Online version: View report [3 pages  File size: 118 kb]
Charge: This report should address the charge below.
1. Investigate the facts in regard to appropriations for the Hospital for Crippled and Deformed Children, located at Galveston, Texas. *

* This represents an abstract of the report contents. Charge text is incomplete or unavailable.

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