By: Schwertner	S.B. No. 277
	(In the Senate - Filed January 7, 2015; January 28, 2015,
	read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human
	Services; March 31, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable
	Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0;
	March 31, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 277	By:  Schwertner

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the abolition of certain health-related task forces and
	advisory committees.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  (a)  The Interagency Task Force on Electronic
	Benefits Transfers is abolished.
	(b)  Section 531.045, Government Code, is repealed.
	SECTION 2.  (a) The Medicaid and Public Assistance Fraud
	Oversight Task Force is abolished.
	(b)  Section 22.028(c), Human Resources Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	(c)  No later than the first day of each month, the
	department shall send the comptroller a report listing the accounts
	on which enforcement actions or other steps were taken by the
	department in response to the records received from the EBT
	operator under this section, and the action taken by the
	department. The comptroller shall promptly review the report and,
	as appropriate, may solicit the advice of the office of the
	inspector general [Medicaid and Public Assistance Fraud Oversight
	Task Force] regarding the results of the department's enforcement
	actions.
	(c)  Section 531.107, Government Code, is repealed.
	SECTION 3.  (a)  The Advisory Committee on Inpatient Mental
	Health Services is abolished.
	(b)  Section 571.027, Health and Safety Code, is repealed.
	SECTION 4.  (a) The Interagency Inspection Task Force is
	abolished.
	(b)  Section 42.0442(c), Human Resources Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	(c)  [The interagency task force shall establish an
	inspection checklist based on the inspection protocol developed
	under Subsection (b).] Each state agency that inspects a facility
	listed in Subsection (a) shall use an [the] inspection checklist
	established by the department in performing an inspection. A state
	agency shall make a copy of the completed inspection checklist
	available to the facility at the facility's request to assist the
	facility in maintaining records.
	(c)  Section 42.0442(b), Human Resources Code, is repealed.
	SECTION 5.  If an entity that is abolished by this Act has
	property, records, or other assets, the Health and Human Services
	Commission shall take custody of the entity's property, records, or
	other assets.
	SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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