By: Lucio, et al. S.B. No. 1463
(Lucio III)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to improving the delivery of health care services to
veterans in this state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 401, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 401.103 to read as follows:
Sec. 401.103. VETERANS HEALTH ISSUES. (a) The governor or
the governor's designee may negotiate with the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs and any other appropriate federal
agency on matters relating to improving the delivery of health care
services to veterans in this state, including:
(1) establishing a veterans hospital in the Rio Grande
Valley region of the state; and
(2) ensuring the prompt payment of claims submitted by
community health care providers to the United States Department of
Veterans Affairs for health care services provided to veterans by
those providers.
(b) The governor, in consultation with the board of regents
of The University of Texas System, may identify shared resources
and collaborative opportunities that may be used by the School of
Medicine at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the United
States Department of Veterans Affairs to provide quality health
care services to residents of the Rio Grande Valley.
(c) The governor may request the assistance of the
Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services
Commission, the Texas Veterans Commission, or any other state
agency, department, or office in performing an action under this
section. The agency, department, or office shall provide the
requested assistance.
SECTION 2. Section 434.019(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) The Texas Veterans Commission and the Department of
State Health Services, in collaboration with the office of the
governor, shall work with the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs and any other appropriate federal agency to propose that
the federal government establish a veterans hospital in the Rio
Grande Valley region of the state.
SECTION 3. 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.