HBA-MPM C.S.S.B. 424 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.S.B. 424
By: Shapleigh
Public Health
4/30/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Texas Statewide Health Coordinating Council prepares and
reviews a proposed state health plan every six years and updates the plan
biennially.  The health plan may not reflect the effects of growth in
trade, transportation, the economy, and population in Texas resulting from
the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).  The impact of these
changes may overwhelm the existing public health and medical
infrastructure, not only in communities along the Texas-Mexico border, but
throughout the state. To keep up with emerging needs, a strategic health
plan to address these issues must be in place.  C.S.S.B. 424 requires the
Texas Department of Health to develop a state strategic plan to address
concerns relating to the potential effects of NAFTA on Texas. 

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

C.S.S.B. 424 requires the Texas Department of Health (TDH) with assistance
from the Health and Human Services Commission, the Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission, and The University of Texas School of Public
Health at Houston to study the health of Texas residents and develop a
strategic health plan for Texas.  The bill provides that in developing the
plan, TDH must examine the potential impact of increased contact and
commerce between Texas and Mexico on the health of Texas residents, health
care access and delivery, and the organizational infrastructure of the
health care system. 
 
The bill provides that the plan must outline the steps the state should
take to address health needs of Texas residents.  The bill requires TDH no
later than December 15, 2002 to develop the plan and file a written report
of the plan with the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the
house of representatives. TDH is authorized to combine the plan or report
with any other plan or report TDH is required to develop or file under
other law.  The bill expires February 1, 2003. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.S.B. 424 differs from the original bill by adding the Texas Natural
Resource Conservation Commission among the entities required to assist the
Texas Department of Health (TDH) in studying the health of Texas residents
and developing the strategic statewide health plan.  The substitute
specifies that TDH examine the potential impact of increased contact and
commerce between Texas and Mexico and adds health problems associated with
environmental contamination in communities containing or in close proximity
to state and federal industrial clean-up sites among the issues TDH must
examine in developing the plan. The substitute authorizes TDH to combine
the plan or required report with any other that it is required to develop
or file under other law.