86R28607 EAS-F
By: Price, et al. H.B. No. 1477
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the use of grants under the emergency medical services
assistance program and the distribution of certain revenue received
by the comptroller.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 773.251, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by adding Subdivision (4) to read as follows:
(4) "Scholarship program" means the Emergency Medical
Services Scholarship Program established under Section 773.2555.
SECTION 2. Section 773.252(b), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(b) The program includes grants to:
(1) eligible emergency medical services providers;
(2) trauma service area regional advisory councils;
(3) provide funding for [and] an educational
curriculum to train [provide training to] rural emergency medical
services personnel; and
(4) provide funding for the scholarship program.
SECTION 3. Section 773.253(a), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary
to implement this subchapter, including rules for:
(1) determining eligibility under the program;
(2) establishing requirements for the educational
curriculum; [and]
(3) establishing requirements for a general academic
teaching institution, medical and dental unit, other agency of
higher education, or public technical institute that develops and
offers the educational curriculum; and
(4) determining eligibility under the scholarship
program and the coursework that qualifies for a scholarship awarded
under the scholarship program.
SECTION 4. Subchapter I, Chapter 773, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 773.2555 to read as follows:
Sec. 773.2555. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM. (a) The executive commissioner by rule shall establish
the Emergency Medical Services Scholarship Program to provide
financial assistance to emergency medical services personnel to pay
tuition and other applicable fees for eligible coursework, as
determined in accordance with the rules adopted under this
subchapter, at institutions of higher education.
(b) Emergency medical services personnel may apply to the
department in the form and manner provided by executive
commissioner rule to receive a scholarship under the scholarship
program.
(c) If the department determines an applicant is eligible
for assistance under the scholarship program, the department may
provide a grant under Section 773.257 to the applicant.
SECTION 5. The heading to Section 773.257, Health and
Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 773.257. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM ACCOUNT; GRANTS.
SECTION 6. Section 773.257(a), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) The emergency medical services assistance program
account is created as a dedicated account in the general revenue
fund of the state treasury. Money in the account may be appropriated
only to the department [The commissioner may use money from the
permanent fund for emergency medical services and trauma care
established under Section 403.106, Government Code,] to provide
grants, in addition to funding available from other sources, to:
(1) emergency medical services providers applying for
assistance under the program;
(2) trauma service area regional advisory councils;
(3) [or to] provide funding to a general academic
teaching institution, medical and dental unit, other agency of
higher education, or public technical institute offering the
educational curriculum under this subchapter; or
(4) emergency medical services personnel applying for
assistance under the scholarship program.
SECTION 7. 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) 57 [67] percent to the credit of the undedicated
portion of the general revenue fund; [and]
(2) 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) 10 percent to the credit of the emergency medical
services assistance program account created under Section 773.257,
Health and Safety Code.
SECTION 8. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
Services Commission shall adopt rules as necessary to implement the
changes in law made by this Act.
SECTION 9. 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 10. The Department of State Health Services is
required to implement a provision of this Act only if the
legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If
the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
purpose, the department may, but is not required to, implement a
provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that
purpose.
SECTION 11. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.