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.