85R10597 MM-D By: Perez H.B. No. 4179 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to establishing a program to allow school districts to assist certain children attending public schools in maintaining their Medicaid and child health plan program eligibility. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 531.02483 to read as follows: Sec. 531.02483. SCHOOL DISTRICT ASSISTANCE IN ENSURING CONTINUED HEALTH CARE COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN CHILDREN. (a) In this section: (1) "Parent" includes a person standing in parental relation. (2) "School district" means a public school district created under the laws of this state. (b) The commission shall establish a program under which a school district may request information from the commission regarding a child enrolled in the district who is a recipient under Medicaid or an enrollee in the child health plan program and whose eligibility for benefits under the applicable program will expire during the school year so that the school district may alert the child's parent of the need to timely reapply for continuation of the benefits. (c) To facilitate the program described by Subsection (b), as part of a child's enrollment in school each school year, a school district may request that a child's parent, on a voluntary basis, indicate on the enrollment form whether the child is covered by Medicaid or the child health plan program. (d) A parent is not required to provide the information described by Subsection (c) as a condition of enrollment, and the enrollment form must clearly indicate that a parent may elect to provide or withhold the information. (e) The commission may develop a procedure under which a school district may apply to participate in the program. (f) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules to implement the program established under this section, including rules that ensure the confidentiality and appropriate use of recipient or enrollee information shared with a school district. SECTION 2. 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 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall adopt the rules necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.