HBA-DMD C.S.S.B. 995 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.S.B. 995 By: Lindsay County Affairs 5/19/1999 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, the Harris County Hospital District (district) is in a transitional phase. In addition, the district's chief executive officer has resigned her position, effective later this year. The changes in health care require the district to be reviewed in order to determine its future direction. C.S.S.B. 995 creates a review commission (commission) for the district in order to assist the state in reviewing the district. This bill requires the commission, no later than November 1, 2000, to file a report containing the results of the review, including any recommendations for necessary changes to the district's enabling legislation, with the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives. This bill also requires each appointment to the commission to be made by July 1, 1999 and abolishes the commission on January 1, 2001. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. COMMISSION TO REVIEW AND REPORT ON HARRIS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT. (a) Defines "commission" and "district" in this section. (b) Creates a review commission (commission) for the Harris County Hospital District (district) to assist this state in reviewing that district. (c) Sets forth the composition of the commission. (d) Provides that a member of the commission serves at the will of the appointing person. (e) Requires the commission to elect a presiding officer and any other necessary officers from among its members. (f) Requires the commission to meet at the call of the presiding officer. (g) Provides that a member of the commission receives no compensation for serving on the commission. (h) Requires the commission to review the enabling legislation for the district, Chapter 281 (Health Districts in Counties of at Least 190,000), Health and Safety Code. (i) Requires the commission, no later than November 1, 2000, to file a report containing the results of the review under Subsection (h) of this section, including any recommendations for necessary changes to the district's enabling legislation, with the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives. SECTION 2. APPOINTMENTS. Requires each appointment to the commission established by SECTION 1 of this Act to be made by July 1, 1999. SECTION 3. ABOLISHMENT; EXPIRATION. Provides that on January 1, 2001, the commission established by SECTION 1 of this Act is abolished and this Act expires. SECTION 4. EMERGENCY. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE C.S.S.B. 995 changes the title of SECTION 1 from "Commission to Study and Report on Harris County Hospital District" to "Commission to Review and Report on Harris County Hospital District," and makes a conforming change in the caption. This substitute modifies proposed Subsection (a) to define "commission" as the review commission, rather than the study commission. This substitute modifies proposed Subsection (b) to create a review commission (commission) for the Harris County Hospital District (district) to assist this state in reviewing, rather than studying, that district. This substitute modifies proposed Subsection (c), by modifying the composition of the commission as follows: (1) specifies two, rather than four, members of the house of representatives, and adds one public member, all of whom are appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; (2) specifies two, rather than four, members of the senate, and adds one public member, all of whom are appointed by the lieutenant governor; and (3) the chairman of the board of hospital managers of the district, rather than three members of the general public who reside in Harris County, appointed by the governor. This substitute modifies proposed Subsection (e), to require the commission to elect a presiding officer and any other necessary officers from among its members, rather than requiring the governor to appoint a public member of the commission to serve as presiding officer and requiring members of the commission to elect any other necessary officers. This substitute modifies proposed Subsection (h), to require the commission to review the enabling legislation for the district, Chapter 281 (Health Districts in Counties of at Least 190,000), Health and Safety Code. The original bill required the commission to study the manner in which the district is governed, methods for funding a district, and any other issues identified by the commission regarding a district's function to provide care to the indigent and trauma care to the general population. This substitute modifies proposed Subsection (i), to include any recommendations for necessary changes to the district's enabling legislation, in the report containing the results of the review that the commission is required to file with the governor, lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives. Makes a conforming change. This substitute makes conforming changes in SECTIONS 2 and 3.