HBA-NLM H.B. 1459 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1459
By: Dunnam
Human Services
3/8/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Many small and medium sized counties and cities in the state of Texas have
local hospital authorities but lack other facilities to handle specific
daily needs of the elderly.  Some rural hospital authorities can provide
care for the elderly, while others are prohibited from doing so because of
population brackets.  H.B. 1459 authorizes a rural hospital authority that
owns or operates a hospital licensed under Chapter 241 (Hospitals), Health
and Safety Code, and that is located in a county with a population of
225,000 or less, rather than 35,000 or less, to provide services or
personal care facilities for the elderly. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 262.034(e), Health and Safety Code, to apply
this section only to an authority that owns or operates a hospital licensed
under Chapter 241 (Hospitals) and that is located in a county with a
population of 225,000 or less, rather than 35,000 or less. 

SECTION 2.  Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.