The House Committee on Public Health
76th Legislature
July 10, 2000
10:00 a.m.
Capitol Extension, E2.030
Pursuant to a notice posted on June 8, 2000, the House Committee
on Public Health met in a public hearing and was called to order
by the chair, Representative Gray, at 10:12 a.m.
The roll was answered as follows:
Present: Representatives Gray; Coleman; Glaze; Maxey; Uresti
(5).
Absent: Representatives Capelo; Delisi; Hilderbran; McClendon
(4).
A quorum was present.
(Representative McClendon now present.)
The chair made opening remarks and announced that the purpose of
the meeting was to have briefings regarding the implementation
status of the following bills passed during the 76th Legislative
Session:
(Representative Delisi now present.)
The chair called upon witnesses who were invited to give the
committee an overview of the implementation status of HB 2085 by
McCall/Brown, relating to the continuation and functions of the
Texas Board of Health and Texas Department of Health, including
the operation of certain boards and councils administratively
attached to the department; providing penalties.
The following person provided oral testimony:
Charles E. Bell, MD, Deputy Executive Commissioner, Texas
Department of Health
The chair called upon witnesses who were invited to give the
committee an overview of the implementation status of SB358 by
Madla/Gray, relating to the continuation and functions of the
Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation and to
certain facilities.
The following person provided oral testimony:
Karen Hale, Commissioner, Texas Department of Mental Health
and Mental Retardation
The chair called upon witnesses who were invited to give the
committee an overview of the implementation status of HB 1398 by
Coleman/Moncrief, relating to indigent health care.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Bonnie Magers, Division Director, Indigent Health Care,
Bureau of Policy and Operations, Texas Department of
Health
Sue Glover, State and Federal Legislative Analyst, Texas
Association of Counties
The chair called upon witnesses who were invited to give the
committee an overview of the implementation status of SB 445 by
Moncrief/Gray, relating to a child health plan for certain
low-income children.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Don Gilbert, Commissioner, Health and Human Services
Commission
Jason Cooke, Director, Children's Health Insurance Program,
Health and Human Services Commission
The chair called upon witnesses who were invited to give the
committee an overview of the implementation status of HB 2641 by
Gray/Brown, relating to the continuation and functions of the
Health and Human Services Commission.
The following person provided oral testimony:
Don Gilbert, Commissioner, Health and Human Services
The chair called upon witnesses who were invited to give the
committee an overview of the implementation status of HB 2896 by
Coleman/Moncrief, relating to the administration and operation
of the state Medicaid program.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Don Gilbert, Commissioner, Health and Human Services
Commission
Linda Wertz, State Medicaid Director, Health and Human
Services Commission
The chair called upon witnesses who were invited to give the
committee a briefing regarding various healthcare issues of
interest to the committee.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Tyrette Hamilton, Executive Director, Texas Healthy Kids
Corporation
Jeffry Hill, DDS, Executive Director, Texas State Board of
Dental Examiners
At 1:30 pm, upon the motion of the chair and without objection,
the meeting was adjourned subject to the call of the chair.
__________________________________
Rep. Patricia Gray, Chair
__________________________________
Pam Crowley, Chief Clerk