77(R) HB 893 Engrossed version - Bill Analysis.html

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77® HB 893 Engrossed version - Bill Analysis

SRC-SEW H.B. 893 77® BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center H.B. 893

By: Hinojosa ()

State Affairs

5/6/2001

Engrossed

DIGEST AND PURPOSE

In 1999, the legislature created the tertiary care account to help

reimburse hospitals for some of the $65 million spent on free trauma care

for indigent residents in 1997. The tertiary care account may only

reimburse hospitals for services delivered to out-of-county residents

living below the poverty level that participate in the specified trauma

network. Originally the tertiary care account was funded by unclaimed prize

money from the Texas Lottery, which averages about $16 million per year.

However, the need for funds is not fully met. H.B. 893 creates an

additional fee for motor vehicle registration dedicated to the tertiary

care account.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a

state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 502D, Transportation Code, by adding Section

502.1711, as follows:

Sec. 502.1711. ADDITIONAL FEE FOR TRAUMA CENTERS. (a) Requires, in

addition to other fees imposed under this chapter for a license plate or

set of license plates or other device used as the registration insignia, a

fee of $5 to be collected.

( Requires the county assessor-collector, on the first Monday of each

month, to send the fee collected under this section to the comptroller for

deposit in the tertiary care account under Section 46.003, Health and

Safety Code.

© Authorizes the county assessor-collector to retain an amount equal to

not more than 10 percent of each fee collected under Subsection (a).

Requires the assessor-collector to deposit any amount retained under this

subsection in the county treasury to the credit of the general fund and to

petition the commissioners court for the amount necessary to administer

this section. Authorizes the commissioners court to allocate money

deposited in the county treasury under this subsection that is not

allocated to the assessor-collector to administer this section for general

purposes of the county.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2001.