HBA-NRS H.B. 3244 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3244 By: Gallego Appropriations 7/19/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Prior to the 77th Legislature, state law provided the Texas Department of Health (TDH) with appropriated funds from the interest proceeds of the emergency medical services and trauma care tobacco endowment. Initially, interest deposits appropriated for the program were made monthly. However, this was changed to quarterly deposits during the last fiscal year. Consequently, some grant recipients now wait up to three months for fund reimbursement which may present a financial hardship. House Bill 3244 allows TDH to temporarily transfer certain tobacco funds among tobacco-endowed programs. 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. ANALYSIS House Bill 3244 amends the Government Code to authorize the Texas Department of Health (TDH) to direct the comptroller of public accounts to temporarily transfer money appropriated to TDH to pay an obligation that TDH is authorized to incur under and for which money is appropriated under the Community Hospital Capital Improvement Fund, the Permanent Fund for Children and Public Health, the Permanent Fund for Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Care, and the Permanent Fund for Tobacco Education and Enforcement if TDH determines that the transfer is necessary for cash management purposes. As soon as possible after the transfer but not later than the 90th day after the date of the transfer, the bill requires TDH to direct the comptroller to transfer back the transferred amount from amounts appropriated under the Community Hospital Capital Improvement Fund, the Permanent Fund for Children and Public Health, the Permanent Fund for Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Care to a specific appropriation item. EFFECTIVE DATE June 15, 2001.