Bill Text: TX HB3493 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the creation of the employee wellness program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-22 - Referred to Public Health [HB3493 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HB3493-Introduced.html
82R10125 TRH-D | ||
By: Coleman | H.B. No. 3493 |
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relating to the creation of the employee wellness program. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 161, Health and Safety Code, is amended | ||
by adding Subchapter V to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER V. EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM | ||
Sec. 161.601. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "department" | ||
means the Department of State Health Services. | ||
Sec. 161.602. CREATION OF MODEL PROGRAM. (a) The | ||
department shall develop for use by private employers a model | ||
statewide wellness program to improve the health and wellness of | ||
employees. The wellness program may include: | ||
(1) education that targets the most costly or | ||
prevalent health care claims, including information addressing | ||
stress management, nutrition, healthy eating habits, alcohol and | ||
drug abuse, physical activity, disease prevention, and smoking | ||
cessation; | ||
(2) the dissemination or use of available health risk | ||
assessment tools and programs, including surveys that identify an | ||
employee's risk level for health-related problems and programs that | ||
suggest to employees methods for minimizing risks; | ||
(3) the development of strategies for the promotion of | ||
health, nutritional, and fitness-related resources in the | ||
workplace; | ||
(4) the development and promotion of environmental | ||
change strategies that integrate healthy behaviors and physical | ||
activity, including recommending healthy food choices in snack | ||
bars, vending machines, and employer-run cafeterias; and | ||
(5) optional incentives to encourage participation in | ||
the wellness program, including providing flexibility in employee | ||
scheduling to allow for physical activity and participation in the | ||
wellness program and coordinating discounts with gyms and fitness | ||
centers across the state. | ||
(b) The department shall: | ||
(1) coordinate with other agencies that administer a | ||
health benefits program under Chapter 1551, Insurance Code, or | ||
Chapter 664, Government Code, as necessary to develop the model | ||
wellness program and prevent duplication of efforts; | ||
(2) maintain a set of Internet links to health | ||
resources for use by private employers and employees; | ||
(3) design an outreach campaign to educate private | ||
employers and employees about health and fitness-related | ||
resources, including available exercise facilities, online tools, | ||
and health and fitness-related organizations; and | ||
(4) study the implementation and participation rates | ||
of wellness programs implemented by private employers and report | ||
the findings to the legislature biennially. | ||
(c) The department may assist a private employer in | ||
establishing employee wellness demonstration projects that | ||
incorporate best practices for encouraging employee participation | ||
and the achievement of wellness benefits. An employee wellness | ||
demonstration project may implement strategies to optimize the | ||
return of employer investment in employee wellness, including | ||
savings in direct health care costs and savings from preventing | ||
conditions and diagnoses through better employee wellness. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |