H.B. No. 321

	AN ACT
	relating to the establishment of a pilot program by the Health and
	Human Services Commission to accept importation of electronic
	eligibility information from a regional indigent care provider.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 531.02413 to read as follows:
	Sec. 531.02413. ELECTRONIC ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION PILOT
	PROJECT. (a) The commission shall establish a pilot project in at
	least one urban area of this state to determine the feasibility,
	costs, and benefits of accepting, for the purpose of establishing
	eligibility for benefits under state and federal health and human
	services programs administered by the commission, the direct
	importation of electronic eligibility information from an
	electronic system operated by a regional indigent care
	collaborative system.
	(b)  An area selected for the pilot project under this
	section must possess a functioning indigent care collaborative
	system that includes a network of providers and assesses
	eligibility for health and human services programs using electronic
	systems. The electronic systems used by the collaborative system
	must be able to interface with electronic systems managed by the
	commission to enable the commission to import application and
	eligibility information regarding applicants for health and human
	services programs.
	(c)  In establishing a pilot project under this section, the
	commission shall:
	(1)  focus on creating a project in which electronic
	applications for indigent care created by a regional indigent care
	network may be shared with the commission to facilitate enrollment
	in health and human services programs administered by the
	commission;
	(2)  solicit and obtain support for the project from
	local officials and indigent care providers;
	(3)  ensure that all identifying and descriptive
	information of recipients in each health and human services program
	included in the project can only be accessed by providers or other
	entities participating in the project; and
	(4)  ensure that the storage and communication of all
	identifying and descriptive information included in the project
	complies with existing federal and state privacy laws governing
	individually identifiable information for recipients of public
	benefits programs.
	SECTION 2.  Not later than the 180th day after the effective
	date of this Act, the Health and Human Services Commission shall
	take action to begin implementation of the pilot project
	established under Section 531.02413, Government Code, as added by
	this Act.
	SECTION 3.  Not later than December 1, 2008, the Health and
	Human Services Commission shall:
	(1)  assess the cost-effectiveness, efficacy,
	efficiency, and benefits of using electronic eligibility
	information imported from electronic systems operated by regional
	indigent care collaborative systems;  and
	(2)  report the commission's findings resulting from
	the pilot project established under Section 531.02413, Government
	Code, as added by this Act, to the standing committees of the senate
	and the house of representatives having primary jurisdiction over
	health and human services issues.
	SECTION 4.  If before implementing any provision of this Act
	a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
	federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
	the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
	authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
	waiver or authorization is granted.
	SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 321 was passed by the House on April
	27, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 132, Nays 0, 2 present, not
	voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 321 was passed by the Senate on May
	18, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED:  _____________________
	Date
	_____________________
	Governor