HB5349 - Relating to a quality assurance audit of the provision of health care to inmates by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

      By: Meza H.B. No. 5349       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to a quality assurance audit of the provision of health   care to inmates by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 501, Government Code, is   amended by adding Section 501.1472 to read as follows:           Sec.   501.1472.     QUALITY ASSURANCE AUDIT. (a) The   department shall provide for a quality assurance audit of the   correctional health care system to be performed by an independent   third-party auditor not less than once every five years. The audit   must:                 (1)  assess the department's:                       (A)     delivery of medical, behavioral, and mental   health care services; and                       (B)     compliance with state and federal law   applicable to the provision of health care to inmates;                 (2)  evaluate:                       (A)     the performance of any vendors used to   provide a service described by Subdivision (1)(A); and                       (B)     the extent to which the department's   provision of health care to inmates conforms to industry best   practices and national correctional health care standards; and                 (3)     provide specific recommendations for the   department to address any identified deficiencies.           (b)     The department shall post the report of an audit under   Subsection (a) in a conspicuous location on the department's   publicly accessible Internet website.           (c)     The board shall hold a public meeting to consider the   report and may request that the auditor present the results of the   audit to the board at the meeting.          SECTION 2.  The Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall   provide for the first audit required by Section 501.1472,   Government Code, as added by this Act, to be completed not later   than December 1, 2026.          SECTION 3.  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, 2025.