By: Burrows H.B. No. 4002
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to an interim study regarding international price
discrimination in pharmaceuticals.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. INTERIM COMMITTEE; STUDY. (a) The joint interim
committee on pharmaceutical pricing is established to study and
review the impacts of international pharmaceutical price
discrimination on the people of Texas as well as on the state
government.
(b) The study must consider:
(1) the reasoning behind pharmaceutical companies
pricing on the international market;
(2) any changes in the cost of pharmaceuticals under
the Affordable Care Act;
(3) the amount to which the American public subsidizes
the international pharmaceutical market, research and development,
and other costs; and
(4) the impacts of price discrimination on:
(A) individual citizens of this state; and
(B) the budget of this state;
(c) The joint interim committee shall be composed of the
members of the international trade and intergovernmental affairs
committee of the house of representatives, and the
intergovernmental relations committee of the senate.
(d) The chairmen of each respective committee shall serve as
co-chairs for the joint interim committee.
(e) The joint interim committee shall convene at the call of
one of the co-chairs.
(f) The joint interim committee has all other powers and
duties provided to a special or select committee by the rules of the
senate and house of representatives, by Subchapter B, Chapter 301,
Government Code, and by policies of the senate and house committees
on administration.
(g) Not later than January 6, 2017, the joint interim
committee shall report the committee's findings to the lieutenant
governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the
governor.
(h) From the contingent expense fund of the senate and the
contingent expense fund of the house of representatives equally,
the members of the joint interim committee shall be reimbursed for
expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of this Act in
accordance with the senate and house of representatives rules of
procedure and the policies of the committees on administration.
Other necessary expenses of operation shall be paid from the
contingent expense fund of the senate and the contingent expense
fund of the house of representatives equally.
(i) The Texas Legislative Council shall provide legal and
policy research, bill drafting, and statistical analysis services
to the committee created under this section.
SECTION 2. ABOLITION OF COMMITTEE. The committee is
abolished and this Act expires January 12, 2017.
SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect
immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members
elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas
Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for
immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015.