By: Jetton, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Kolkhorst) H.B. No. 1898
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 18, 2023;
April 19, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Health &
Human Services; May 21, 2023, reported adversely, with favorable
Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 1;
May 21, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 1898 By: Hancock
COMMITTEE VOTE
YeaNayAbsentPNV
KolkhorstX
PerryX
BlancoX
HallX
HancockX
HughesX
LaMantiaX
MilesX
SparksX
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a grant program to fund the provision by children's
hospitals of mental and behavioral health services to children in
this state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 531.09936 to read as follows:
Sec. 531.09936. GRANT PROGRAM TO FUND MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH SERVICES BY CERTAIN CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS. (a) In this
section:
(1) "Children's hospital" means a hospital designated
by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as a children's
hospital that is exempted by that federal agency from payment under
the inpatient prospective payment system under Medicare.
(2) "Grant program" means the grant program
established under Subsection (b).
(b) If and to the extent money is specifically appropriated
to the commission for that purpose, the commission shall establish
a grant program under which the commission provides grants to
children's hospitals that the hospitals may, except as provided by
Subsection (e), use to directly provide mental and behavioral
health services to children in this state.
(c) A children's hospital may apply for a grant under the
grant program in the form and manner prescribed by the commission.
(d) A grant recipient may not use a grant awarded under the
grant program to:
(1) reimburse an expense or pay a cost that a health
benefit plan or other source, including Medicaid, is obligated to
reimburse or pay by law or contract; or
(2) provide mental health services, including
treatments or procedures, to a child that affirm the child's
perception of the child's sex if that perception is inconsistent
with the child's biological sex.
(e) The commission shall monitor and evaluate the use of
money awarded under the grant program to ensure compliance with
this section.
(f) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,
the commission shall submit a biennial report to the legislature on
the performance of the grant program during the preceding two state
fiscal years. The report must include the name of each grant
recipient awarded a grant under the program and the amount of the
recipient's award during the fiscal years covered by the report.
(g) This section expires September 1, 2027.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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