Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1477 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		86R28607 EAS-F
2	2		By: Price, et al. H.B. No. 1477
	3	+	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1477:
	4	+	By: Price C.S.H.B. No. 1477
3	5
4	6
5	7		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	8		AN ACT
7	9		relating to the use of grants under the emergency medical services
8	10		assistance program and the distribution of certain revenue received
9	11		by the comptroller.
10	12		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	13		SECTION 1. Section 773.251, Health and Safety Code, is
12	14		amended by adding Subdivision (4) to read as follows:
13	15		(4) "Scholarship program" means the Emergency Medical
14	16		Services Scholarship Program established under Section 773.2555.
15	17		SECTION 2. Section 773.252(b), Health and Safety Code, is
16	18		amended to read as follows:
17	19		(b) The program includes grants to:
18	20		(1) eligible emergency medical services providers;
19	21		(2) trauma service area regional advisory councils;
20	22		(3) provide funding for [and] an educational
21	23		curriculum to train [provide training to] rural emergency medical
22	24		services personnel; and
23	25		(4) provide funding for the scholarship program.
24	26		SECTION 3. Section 773.253(a), Health and Safety Code, is
25	27		amended to read as follows:
26	28		(a) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary
27	29		to implement this subchapter, including rules for:
28	30		(1) determining eligibility under the program;
29	31		(2) establishing requirements for the educational
30	32		curriculum; [and]
31	33		(3) establishing requirements for a general academic
32	34		teaching institution, medical and dental unit, other agency of
33	35		higher education, or public technical institute that develops and
34	36		offers the educational curriculum; and
35	37		(4) determining eligibility under the scholarship
36	38		program and the coursework that qualifies for a scholarship awarded
37	39		under the scholarship program.
38	40		SECTION 4. Subchapter I, Chapter 773, Health and Safety
39	41		Code, is amended by adding Section 773.2555 to read as follows:
40	42		Sec. 773.2555. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SCHOLARSHIP
41	43		PROGRAM. (a) The executive commissioner by rule shall establish
42	44		the Emergency Medical Services Scholarship Program to provide
43	45		financial assistance to emergency medical services personnel to pay
44	46		tuition and other applicable fees for eligible coursework, as
45	47		determined in accordance with the rules adopted under this
46	48		subchapter, at institutions of higher education.
47	49		(b) Emergency medical services personnel may apply to the
48	50		department in the form and manner provided by executive
49	51		commissioner rule to receive a scholarship under the scholarship
50	52		program.
51	53		(c) If the department determines an applicant is eligible
52	54		for assistance under the scholarship program, the department may
53	55		provide a grant under Section 773.257 to the applicant.
54	56		SECTION 5. The heading to Section 773.257, Health and
55	57		Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:
56	58		Sec. 773.257. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ASSISTANCE
57	59		PROGRAM ACCOUNT; GRANTS.
58	60		SECTION 6. Section 773.257(a), Health and Safety Code, is
59	61		amended to read as follows:
60	62		(a) The emergency medical services assistance program
61	63		account is created as a dedicated account in the general revenue
62	64		fund of the state treasury. Money in the account may be appropriated
63	65		only to the department [The commissioner may use money from the
64	66		permanent fund for emergency medical services and trauma care
65	67		established under Section 403.106, Government Code,] to provide
66	68		grants, in addition to funding available from other sources, to:
67	69		(1) emergency medical services providers applying for
68	70		assistance under the program;
69	71		(2) trauma service area regional advisory councils;
70	72		(3) [or to] provide funding to a general academic
71	73		teaching institution, medical and dental unit, other agency of
72	74		higher education, or public technical institute offering the
73	75		educational curriculum under this subchapter; or
74	76		(4) emergency medical services personnel applying for
75	77		assistance under the scholarship program.
76	78		SECTION 7. Section 542.4031(g), Transportation Code, is
77	79		amended to read as follows:
78	80		(g) Of the money received by the comptroller under this
79	81		section, the comptroller shall deposit:
80	82		(1) 57 [67] percent to the credit of the undedicated
81	83		portion of the general revenue fund; [and]
82	84		(2) 33 percent to the credit of the designated trauma
83	85		facility and emergency medical services account under Section
84	86		780.003, Health and Safety Code; and
85	87		(3) 10 percent to the credit of the emergency medical
86	88		services assistance program account created under Section 773.257,
87	89		Health and Safety Code.
88	90		SECTION 8. As soon as practicable after the effective date
89	91		of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
90	92		Services Commission shall adopt rules as necessary to implement the
91	93		changes in law made by this Act.
92	94		SECTION 9. Section 542.4031(g), Transportation Code, as
93	95		amended by this Act, applies only to the distribution of revenue
94	96		collected on or after the effective date of this Act. The
95	97		distribution of revenue collected before the effective date of this
96	98		Act is governed by the law in effect at the time the revenue was
97	99		collected, and that law is continued in effect for the purpose of
98	100		the distribution of that revenue.
99	101		SECTION 10. The Department of State Health Services is
100	102		required to implement a provision of this Act only if the
101	103		legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If
102	104		the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
103	105		purpose, the department may, but is not required to, implement a
104	106		provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that
105	107		purpose.
106	108		SECTION 11. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.