84R10385 AJZ-F
By: Uresti S.B. No. 1493
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to emergency medical air transportation funding.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 773, Health and Safety Code, is amended
by adding Subchapter I to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER I. EMERGENCY MEDICAL AIR TRANSPORTATION FUNDING
Sec. 773.221. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Account" means the emergency medical air
transportation account created under Section 773.222.
(2) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services
Commission.
(3) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of state
health services.
Sec. 773.222. EMERGENCY MEDICAL AIR TRANSPORTATION
ACCOUNT. (a) The emergency medical air transportation account is
established as a dedicated account in the general revenue fund. The
account is composed of:
(1) money deposited to the credit of the account under
Section 542.4031, Transportation Code; and
(2) notwithstanding Section 404.071, Government Code,
interest earned on the investment of money in the account and
depository interest allocable to the account.
(b) Money in the account may be appropriated only to the
department for the purposes described by Subsection (c).
(c) The commissioner may:
(1) use the money appropriated from the account to
fund emergency medical air transportation; and
(2) after consulting with the executive commissioner,
transfer the money appropriated from the account to the commission
to:
(A) provide reimbursements under the medical
assistance program under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, to
providers of emergency medical air transportation services,
including reimbursement enhancements to the statewide dollar
amount rate used to reimburse designated air ambulance services
under the program; and
(B) maximize the receipt of federal funds under
the medical assistance program under Chapter 32, Human Resources
Code.
SECTION 2. Section 542.4031(g), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(g) Of the money received by the comptroller under this
section, the comptroller shall deposit:
(1) 67 percent to the credit of the undedicated
portion of the general revenue fund; [and]
(2) 16.5 [33] percent to the credit of the designated
trauma facility and emergency medical services account under
Section 780.003, Health and Safety Code; and
(3) 16.5 percent to the credit of the designated
emergency medical air transportation account under Section
773.222, Health and Safety Code.
SECTION 3. Section 542.4031(g), Transportation Code, as
amended by this Act, applies only to the distribution of revenue
collected on or after the effective date of this Act. The
distribution of revenue collected before the effective date of this
Act is governed by the law in effect at the time the revenue was
collected, and that law is continued in effect for the purpose of
the distribution of that revenue.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.