| 1 | 1 | | By: Hinojosa S.B. No. 1963 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's authority |
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| 7 | 7 | | to contract with federal agencies to provide healthcare to |
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| 8 | 8 | | veterans. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter N, Chapter 74, Education Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 741.761 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 74.761. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN PATIENTS. (a) The |
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| 13 | 13 | | medical school may enter into one or more contracts with the U.S. |
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| 14 | 14 | | Department of Veterans Affairs ("VA") to provide medical and mental |
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| 15 | 15 | | health treatment to residents of the county or service area who are |
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| 16 | 16 | | otherwise eligible for the VA's health care assistance. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (b) The medical school is encouraged to contribute money, |
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| 18 | 18 | | property, and other resources to establish, maintain, and operate a |
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| 19 | 19 | | veteran's hospital or provide medical and mental health care to |
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| 20 | 20 | | area veterans in accordance with Section 73, Article XVI, Texas |
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| 21 | 21 | | Constitution. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (c) In complying with this section, the medical school may |
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| 23 | 23 | | prioritize medical and mental health services that eliminate access |
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| 24 | 24 | | to care issues and reduce wait times by providing an increased level |
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| 25 | 25 | | of inpatient and outpatient care for veterans: |
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| 26 | 26 | | (1)who would be forced to travel more than 200 miles for |
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| 27 | 27 | | healthcare; or |
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| 28 | 28 | | (2)who cannot access specialty or primary care in the |
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| 29 | 29 | | service area. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (d) To the extent possible, the medical school must spread |
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| 31 | 31 | | any available medical and mental health care for veterans |
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| 32 | 32 | | throughout the service region. |
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| 33 | 33 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 34 | 34 | | a vote of two-thirds of all members elected to each house, as |
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| 35 | 35 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 36 | 36 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 37 | 37 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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