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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an interim study regarding international price |
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discrimination in pharmaceuticals. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. INTERIM COMMITTEE; STUDY. (a) The joint interim |
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committee on pharmaceutical pricing is established to study and |
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review the impacts of international pharmaceutical price |
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discrimination on the people of Texas as well as on the state |
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government. |
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(b) The study must consider: |
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(1) the reasoning behind pharmaceutical companies |
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pricing on the international market; |
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(2) any changes in the cost of pharmaceuticals under |
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the Affordable Care Act; |
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(3) the amount to which the American public subsidizes |
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the international pharmaceutical market, research and development, |
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and other costs; and |
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(4) the impacts of price discrimination on: |
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(A) individual citizens of this state; and |
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(B) the budget of this state; |
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(c) The joint interim committee shall be composed of the |
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members of the international trade and intergovernmental affairs |
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committee of the house of representatives, and the |
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intergovernmental relations committee of the senate. |
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(d) The chairmen of each respective committee shall serve as |
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co-chairs for the joint interim committee. |
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(e) The joint interim committee shall convene at the call of |
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one of the co-chairs. |
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(f) The joint interim committee has all other powers and |
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duties provided to a special or select committee by the rules of the |
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senate and house of representatives, by Subchapter B, Chapter 301, |
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Government Code, and by policies of the senate and house committees |
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on administration. |
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(g) Not later than January 6, 2017, the joint interim |
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committee shall report the committee's findings to the lieutenant |
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governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the |
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governor. |
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(h) From the contingent expense fund of the senate and the |
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contingent expense fund of the house of representatives equally, |
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the members of the joint interim committee shall be reimbursed for |
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expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of this Act in |
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accordance with the senate and house of representatives rules of |
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procedure and the policies of the committees on administration. |
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Other necessary expenses of operation shall be paid from the |
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contingent expense fund of the senate and the contingent expense |
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fund of the house of representatives equally. |
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(i) The Texas Legislative Council shall provide legal and |
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policy research, bill drafting, and statistical analysis services |
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to the committee created under this section. |
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SECTION 2. ABOLITION OF COMMITTEE. The committee is |
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abolished and this Act expires January 12, 2017. |
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SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |