Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1060 Compare Versions

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1	1	88R2402 AMF-D
2	2	By: Guerra H.B. No. 1060
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5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the implementation of telehealth services programs at
8	8	certain public primary and secondary schools and the appointment of
9	9	a telehealth services program task force to conduct a study and
10	10	issue a report concerning the implementation of those programs.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is
13	13	amended by adding Sections 38.037 and 38.038 to read as follows:
14	14	Sec. 38.037. TELEHEALTH SERVICES PROGRAM. (a) In this
15	15	section, "telehealth service" means a health care service delivered
16	16	by a health professional licensed, certified, or otherwise entitled
17	17	to practice in this state and acting within the scope of the health
18	18	professional's license, certification, or entitlement to a patient
19	19	at a different physical location than the health professional using
20	20	telecommunications or information technology.
21	21	(b) Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, a school
22	22	district that does not employ a full-time school nurse shall
23	23	implement a telehealth services program under which district
24	24	students and employees receive access to telehealth services at
25	25	each campus of the district.
26	26	(c) Telehealth services provided under a program
27	27	implemented under this section:
28	28	(1) must be provided at no cost to students and
29	29	employees; and
30	30	(2) may be provided to a student only with the written
31	31	consent of the student's parent, guardian, or other person having
32	32	lawful control of the student.
33	33	Sec. 38.038. TELEHEALTH SERVICES PROGRAM TASK FORCE; STUDY;
34	34	REPORT. (a) The commissioner, in consultation with the State Board
35	35	of Education, shall appoint a task force composed of agency
36	36	employees and qualified stakeholders, including individuals with
37	37	experience as educators or parents of public school students.
38	38	(b) The task force appointed under Subsection (a) shall
39	39	conduct a study on the implementation of telehealth services
40	40	programs under Section 38.037 by school districts to which that
41	41	section applies. The study must:
42	42	(1) evaluate the availability of telehealth services
43	43	for each school district that does not employ a full-time school
44	44	nurse; and
45	45	(2) identify changes to state law or policy necessary
46	46	to improve availability of telehealth services described by
47	47	Subdivision (1).
48	48	(c) Not later than September 1, 2024, the agency shall
49	49	submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the members of
50	50	the legislature a report containing the results of the study
51	51	conducted under Subsection (b). The report must include:
52	52	(1) information from school districts regarding the
53	53	implementation of telehealth services programs under Section
54	54	38.037; and
55	55	(2) any recommended changes to state law or policy
56	56	identified by the task force under Subsection (b)(2).
57	57	(d) This section expires September 1, 2027.
58	58	SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2023, the
59	59	commissioner of education, in consultation with the State Board of
60	60	Education, shall appoint the task force required under Section
61	61	38.038, Education Code, as added by this Act.
62	62	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
63	63	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
64	64	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
65	65	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
66	66	Act takes effect September 1, 2023.