HBA-MPM H.B. 2037 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2037
By: Gray
Public Health
4/5/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law allows for the collection of home and community support
licensing fees in amounts reasonable to administer Chapter 142 (Home and
Community Support Services), Health and Safety Code.  This law, however,
does not allow for the collection of fees from applicants who do not submit
applications in a timely manner.  Currently, approximately five percent of
the 2,400 annual renewal applications are not submitted in a timely manner.
H.B. 2037 allows the Texas Department of Health to assess and collect late
fees for late renewal applications.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Board of Health in SECTION 1
(Section 142.010, Health and Safety Code) of this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 142.010, Health and Safety Code, by adding
Subsection (d), as follows: 

(d)  Authorizes the Texas Board of Health, by rule, to set and collect a
reasonable late fee applicable to an application for a renewal of a license
of a home and community support services agency that is submitted after the
renewal date. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.