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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to funding for trauma facilities, emergency medical |
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services, and emergency medical air transportation. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 773, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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by adding Subchapter I to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER I. EMERGENCY MEDICAL AIR TRANSPORTATION FUNDING |
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Sec. 773.221. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Account" means the emergency medical air |
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transportation account created under Section 773.222. |
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(2) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services |
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Commission. |
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(3) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of state |
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health services. |
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Sec. 773.222. EMERGENCY MEDICAL AIR TRANSPORTATION |
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ACCOUNT. (a) The emergency medical air transportation account is |
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established as a dedicated account in the general revenue fund. The |
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account is composed of: |
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(1) money deposited to the credit of the account under |
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Section 542.4031, Transportation Code; and |
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(2) notwithstanding Section 404.071, Government Code, |
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interest earned on the investment of money in the account and |
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depository interest allocable to the account. |
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(b) Money in the account may be appropriated only to the |
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department for the purposes described by Subsection (c). |
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(c) The commissioner may: |
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(1) use the money appropriated from the account to |
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provide funding, in addition to funding available from other |
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sources, for emergency medical air transportation; and |
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(2) after consulting with the executive commissioner, |
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transfer the money appropriated from the account to the commission |
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to: |
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(A) provide reimbursements under the medical |
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assistance program under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, to |
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providers of emergency medical air transportation services, |
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including reimbursement enhancements to the statewide dollar |
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amount rate used to reimburse designated air ambulance services |
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under the program; and |
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(B) maximize the receipt of federal funds under |
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the medical assistance program under Chapter 32, Human Resources |
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Code, to the extent possible. |
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SECTION 2. The heading to Section 780.002, Health and |
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Safety Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 780.002. CERTAIN DEPOSITS TO ACCOUNT. |
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SECTION 3. Section 780.003(b), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) The account is composed of money deposited to the credit |
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of the account under Sections 542.4031, 542.406, and 707.008, |
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Transportation Code, and under Section 780.002 of this code[, and
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the earnings of the account]. |
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SECTION 4. Section 542.4031(g), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(g) Of the money received by the comptroller under this |
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section, the comptroller shall deposit: |
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(1) 50 [67] percent to the credit of the undedicated |
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portion of the general revenue fund; [and] |
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(2) 33 percent to the credit of the designated trauma |
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facility and emergency medical services account under Section |
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780.003, Health and Safety Code; and |
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(3) 17 percent to the credit of the designated |
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emergency medical air transportation account under Section |
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773.222, Health and Safety Code. |
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SECTION 5. Section 542.406(c), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(c) Not later than the 60th day after the end of a local |
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authority's fiscal year, after deducting amounts the local |
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authority is authorized by Subsection (d) to retain, the local |
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authority shall: |
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(1) send 50 percent of the revenue derived from civil |
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or administrative penalties collected by the local authority under |
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this section to the comptroller for deposit to the credit of the |
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designated [regional] trauma facility and emergency medical |
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services account established under Section 780.003 [782.002], |
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Health and Safety Code; and |
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(2) deposit the remainder of the revenue in a special |
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account in the local authority's treasury that may be used only to |
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fund traffic safety programs, including pedestrian safety |
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programs, public safety programs, intersection improvements, and |
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traffic enforcement. |
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SECTION 6. Section 707.008(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Not later than the 60th day after the end of a local |
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authority's fiscal year, after deducting amounts the local |
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authority is authorized by Subsection (b) to retain, the local |
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authority shall: |
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(1) send 50 percent of the revenue derived from civil |
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or administrative penalties collected by the local authority under |
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this section to the comptroller for deposit to the credit of the |
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designated [regional] trauma facility and emergency medical |
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services account established under Section 780.003 [782.002], |
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Health and Safety Code; and |
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(2) deposit the remainder of the revenue in a special |
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account in the local authority's treasury that may be used only to |
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fund traffic safety programs, including pedestrian safety |
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programs, public safety programs, intersection improvements, and |
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traffic enforcement. |
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SECTION 7. The following laws are repealed: |
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(1) Section 780.003(c), Health and Safety Code; and |
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(2) Chapter 782, Health and Safety Code, as amended by |
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S.B. No. 219, Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015. |
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SECTION 8. On the effective date of this Act: |
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(1) the regional trauma account established under |
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Chapter 782, Health and Safety Code, is abolished; and |
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(2) any unexpended and unobligated balance of money in |
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the regional trauma account is transferred to the designated trauma |
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facility and emergency medical services account established under |
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Section 780.003, Health and Safety Code. |
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SECTION 9. Section 542.4031(g), Transportation Code, as |
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amended by this Act, applies only to the distribution of revenue |
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collected on or after the effective date of this Act. The |
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distribution of revenue collected before the effective date of this |
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Act is governed by the law in effect at the time the revenue was |
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collected, and that law is continued in effect for the purpose of |
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the distribution of that revenue. |
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SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |