MINUTES
LONG-TERM CARE LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
Wednesday, January 21, 1998
1:30 p.m.
E1.028
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, a public hearing of the Long-Term Care Legislative
Oversight Committee was held on Wednesday, January 21, 1998,
in E1.028 of the Texas State Capitol at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Judith Zaffirini, Chair
Senator Jane Nelson
Dr. Ken Kramer, Public Member
Representative Elliott Naishtat
Representative Jim McReynolds
Pat Karrh, Public Member
*****
The chair called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. There
being a quorum present, the following business was transacted.
The chair made opening remarks and announced that the purpose
of the meeting was to receive a progress report and briefing
regarding the charges issued to the committee by Lt. Gov. Bob
Bullock.
The chair laid out the minutes from the October 7, 1997,
hearing and called for revisions. There being none, Senator
Nelson moved their approval. There being no objection, the
motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
The chair called invited panelists to provide committee
members with a progress report regarding significant problems
in the nursing facility regulatory system, the effectiveness
and efficiency of the nursing facility regulatory system and
the continuum of care of long-term care services available to
Texans.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Eric Bost, commissioner, Texas Department of Human
Services, 701 West 51st Street, Austin, Texas 78714-9030.
Marc Gold, manager, Long-Term Care Policy, Texas
Department of Human Services, 701 West 51st Street,
Austin, Texas 78714-9030.
Melissa Todd, division chief, Elder Law, Office of the
Attorney General, P.O. Box 12548, Austin, Texas
78711-2548.
The following person registered as a resource witness, but did
not testify:
Debra Green, associate general counsel, Texas Department
of Human Services, 701 West 51st Street, Austin, Texas
78714-9030.
The chair called the invited witness to brief committee
members regarding state-funded efforts to provide research,
consultation, technical assistance and training to improve the
quality of health care provided by long-term care facilities
and agencies in Texas.
The following person provided oral testimony:
Sandy Ransom, director, Institute for Quality Improvement
in Long-Term Health Care, 601 University Drive, San
Marcos, Texas 78666.
The chair called the following persons who registered as
public witnesses to provide oral testimony regarding the
charges issued to the Long-Term Care Legislative Oversight
Committee by Lt. Gov. Bullock.
Lou O'Reilly, founder, Texas Advocates for Nursing Home
Reform, P.O. Box 763143, Dallas, Texas 75376.
Marie Wisdom, president, Texas Advocates for Nursing Home
Reform, 16908 S. Ridge Lane, Austin, Texas 78734-1235.
Larry Swift, legislative liaison, Brain Injury
Association of Texas, 1704 Parkside Lane, Austin, Texas
78745.
The chair called the following person who registered as a
resource witness to provide oral testimony regarding the
charges issued to the Long-Term Care Legislative Oversight
Committee by Lt. Gov. Bullock.
Joe D. Armstrong, director, Long-Term Care Regulatory,
Texas Department of Human Services, 1202 Blackthorn
Drive, Pflugerville, Texas 78660.
The chair recognized the following person who registered as a
public witness but did not testify regarding the charges
issued to the Long-Term Care Legislative Oversight Committee
by Lt. Gov. Bullock.
Sue Monk, mother, 602 South Hampton Road, Dallas, Texas
75208.
The chair appointed Representative McReynolds to chair a
subcommittee regarding the development of a survey for nursing
home providers, surveyors and consumers and appointed Ms.
Karrh and Dr. Kramer to serve as members of the subcommittee.
The chair requested that the subcommittee provide a progress
report to the Long-Term Care Legislative Oversight Committee
at the next hearing of the committee.
With no other business to come before the committee, the chair
recessed the Long-Term Care Legislative Oversight Committee at
3:30 p.m., subject to the call of the chair.
_____________________________
Senator Judith Zaffirini, Chair
______________________________
Pam Crowley, Committee Clerk