HBA-DMD H.B. 2848 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2848 By: Solis, Jim State Affairs 4/9/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Not-for-profit ambulatory health care centers are deemed eligible entities for the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund under the expanded definition of a not-for-profit health care facility. The law does not reflect current telemedicine practices for not-for-profit community health centers. Community health centers are penalized because the networking of telemedicine for community health centers is provided by the state association, which is a not-for-profit entity. H.B. 2848 includes the definition of "ambulatory health care center" and modifies the definitions for "public not-for-profit health care facility" and "telemedicine" in Subchapter C (Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund), Chapter 57 (Distance Learning and Other Advanced Services), Utilities Code. 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 57.042, Utilities Code, to include in the existing list of definitions in this subchapter (Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund), the definition of "ambulatory health care center" to mean a health care clinic or an association of such a clinic that is: (1)(A) exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, as an organization described by Section 501(c)(3), as amended; and (B) funded wholly or partly by a grant under 42 U.S.C. Section 254b, 254c, or 256, as amended. Modifies the existing definitions of "public not-for-profit health care facility" and "telemedicine." SECTION 2. (a) Provides that in accordance with Section 311.031(a), Government Code, which gives effect to a substantive amendment enacted by the same legislature that codifies the amended statute, the text of Section 57.042, Utilities Code, as set out in this Act, gives effect to changes made by Chapter 145, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997. (b) Provides that to the extent of any conflict, this Act controls over another Act of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, relating to nonsubstantive additions and corrections in enacted codes. SECTION 3.Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.