Chris Traylor, as Executive Commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission And the Texas Health and Human Services Commission v. Diana D., as Next Friend of KD, a Child Karen G., as Next Friend of TG and ZM, Children Guadalupe P., as Next Friend of LP, a Child Sally L., as Next Friend of CH, a Child Dena D., as Next Friend of BD, a Child OCI Acquisition, LLC ( 2015 )

ACCEPTED
03-15-00657-CV
7774560
THIRD COURT OF APPEALS
AUSTIN, TEXAS
11/10/2015 5:14:45 PM
JEFFREY D. KYLE
CLERK
No. 03-15-00657-CV
FILED IN
3rd COURT OF APPEALS
In the Court of Appeals AUSTIN, TEXAS
11/10/2015 5:14:45 PM
for the Third Judicial District JEFFREY D. KYLE
Clerk
at Austin, Texas
CHRIS TRAYLOR, AS EXECUTIVE COMMISSIONER OF THE TEXAS HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, et al.
Appellants,
v.
DIANA D., AS NEXT FRIEND OF KD, A CHILD, et al.
Appellees.
On Appeal from the
200th Judicial District Court of Travis County, Texas
REPLY SUPPORTING RULE 24.4 MOTION TO VACATE COUNTER-SUPERSEDEAS
ORDER OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, INCREASE COUNTER-SUPERSEDEAS BOND
TO THE HONORABLE THIRD COURT OF APPEALS:
Plaintiffs misunderstand both the Commission’s argument and the relevant
administrative rules. The Commission does not argue, as plaintiffs suggest, that
Armstrong v. Exceptional Child Center, Inc., 135 S. Ct. 1378 (2015), somehow preempts
state law as a general matter. Resp. at 13 ¶ 17. The Commission’s position is, rather,
that 42 U.S.C. § 1396c, as interpreted in Armstrong, preempts state-court remedies
that change the amount of Medicaid rates. Mtn. at 13-17. Plaintiffs’ response ignores
the actual scope of the Commission’s argument and, as a result, fails to respond to
it.
Although the Commission has drawn its motion narrowly, so as to address
only the remedy of a counter-supersedeas order as opposed to the merits of the
underlying dispute, plaintiffs have brought that issue into this proceeding. See Resp.
at 10-11. Plaintiffs misread or ignore the relevant statutes and rules. Substantively,
plaintiffs’ position is that § 355.8021(a)(2)(B) requires particular reporting
requirements, because the rates in this case were adopted in a “periodic rate
review,” see id. (citing 1 TEX. ADMIN. CODE § 355.8021(a)(2)(B)). But
§ 355.8021(a)(2)(B) does not apply. These rates were changed through a rate
“adjustment,” not a periodic rate review.1 TEX. GOV’T CODE § 531.021(e); 1 TEX.
ADMIN. CODE § 355.201(d)(1)(A), (D).
The adjustment process occurs “notwithstanding” other legal requirements,
including the reporting requirement of § 355.8021(a)(2)(B) for periodic review. See
TEX. GOV’T CODE § 531.021(e); 1 TEX. ADMIN. CODE § 355.201(d). Nor is there a
procedural basis for this lawsuit in El Paso Hospital District v. Tex. Health & Human
1Plaintiffs attempt to capitalize on their confusion between the APA and the ratemaking process
to suggest that there was something improper in pulling down the first and second rates. See Resp.
at 5 ¶¶ 6, 7. But the first two sets of rates (1) relied on commercial rates, which the Commission
concedes is improper; and (2) failed to cite § 355.201, or present the rates as an “adjustment.” See
CR.18-39, CR.212-233. The final, October 1 rates correctly invoke the adjustment process and
Rider 50. See CR.351-373; see esp. CR.352 (rules are based on “Rider 50” and “§ 355.201(d)(1)(A)
and (D)”).
2
Services Commission, 247 S.W.3d 709, 711, 714-15 (Tex. 2008) (“El Paso Hospital
District I”). As this Court and the Supreme Court both recognized following
remand, a § 2001.038 claim cannot be used to change Medicaid rates, only to
challenge the underlying rules. El Paso Cnty. Hosp. Dist. v. Tex. Health & Human
Servs. Comm’n, 400 S.W.3d 72, 81 (Tex. 2013) (“El Paso Hospital District II”) (“our
prior opinion and judgment did not create a remedy for the hospitals’ past
reimbursement claims”); see also Tex. Health & Human Servs. Comm’n v. El Paso
Cnty. Hosp. Dist., 351 S.W.3d 460, 487 (Tex. App.—Austin 2011) aff’d 400 S.W.3d
72 (Section 2001.038’s scope is limited “solely to the extent of permitting suits
against state agencies for declaratory relief concerning the validity or applicability of
their rules”). And because the Commissioner’s discretion is to set rates, subject to
the limitations of the Medicaid Act, there could be no ultra vires claim related to the
amount of rates, and the discretion granted to proceed “notwithstanding” other
legal requirements set out in § 531.021(e) precludes any ultra vires act. See, e.g., City
of El Paso v. Heinrich, 284 S.W.3d 366, 372 (Tex. 2007).
ARGUMENT
I. PLAINTIFFS’ RELIANCE ON POST HOC INTENT LETTERS SIGNED BY
INDIVIDUAL LEGISLATORS IS AN IMPROPER ATTEMPT TO BRING
POLITICAL PRESSURE ON THE COURT VIA INCOMPETENT EVIDENCE.
Before engaging with the substance of the counter-supersedeas issue, it is
important to deal with the documents that constituted the bulk of plaintiffs’ filing:
3
the post hoc letters signed by individual legislators and their impact on the meaning
of Rider 50c. Those letters are at odds with the plain text of Rider 50 and are, as a
matter of law, incompetent to change the meaning of a statute. They appear to mark
an attempt to bring political pressure on this Court to avoid the necessary
implications of Rider 50.
A. The Text of Rider 50 Mandates these Rate Cuts.
Rider 50, the relevant language from which is attached to the Commission’s
Rule 24 motion, makes clear that the cuts are not optional. 2016-17 General
Appropriations Act, 84th Leg., R.S., 2015 (Article II, Health & Human Servs.
Comm’n) (“Rider 50”) (excerpts attached as appendix). Part 50a makes clear that
funding has already been cut from the Medicaid portion of the budget. Rider 50a.
(“Included in appropriations above in Goal B, Medicaid, is a reduction of . . . a
biennial total of $373,000,000 in General Revenue Funds and $496,570,428 in
Federal Funds.”) Portions of this larger cut “may” include various initiatives. Rider
50b (“This reduction shall be achieved through the implementation of the plan
described under subsection d which may include any or all of the following
initiatives:”).
Rider 50c is the kicker. After requiring a change in reimbursement
methodology to meet industry standards, “while considering stakeholder input and
access to care,” the Rider makes specific requirements regarding Medicaid therapy
rates:
4
Out of the amount [already cut] in subsection (a), in each fiscal year at
least $50,000,000 in General Revenue Funds savings should be
achieved through rate reductions. . . . .
Rider 50(c). In short, plaintiffs’ entire reading of the Rider depends on the word
“should,” which addresses “rate cuts” that are to be used to account for money that
was already cut from the budget, according to Rider 50a.2
Given that the funds have already been cut from the budget, the word
“should” is an instruction to the Commission regarding the proportion of the total
cuts that are to be directed to Medicaid therapy rate reductions. The word “should”
is not included in the list of words given a background meaning by the Code
Construction Act, see TEX. GOV’T CODE § 311.016, nor is there a large body of case
law governing its use as opposed to the more common statutory terms “shall” and
“may,” see Thomas v. Groebl, 147 Tex. 70, 78-79, 212 S.W.2d 625, 630 (1948)
(“shall” can mean “may,” and vice versa). “Should” is the past tense of “shall,”
and, though it is sometimes used to express “probability or expectation,” it also
serves to indicate “obligation or duty.” AMER. HERITAGE DICTIONARY (4th ed.
1994) 1612. Thus, like “shall” and “may,” the word “should” can create a
mandatory standard in some contexts. See A DICTIONARY OF MODERN LEGAL USAGE
(2d ed. 1995) (“Oddly, should, like may . . . is sometimes used to create mandatory
2
The response suggests that the word “may” also applies to the rate cuts. Resp. at 16 ¶ 21. This
is wrong. The word “may” applies to the various initiatives in which the Commission is
empowered to initiate to cut an additional $25 million in funding. Rider 50(c).
5
standards, as in the ABA Code of Judicial Conduct”). Texas courts have routinely
applied decrees using the word “should” as creating mandatory duties in statutes,
orders, and instructions.3 It makes sense to do so in this context: Rider 50a sets out
a total amount of cuts, and Rider 50c sets out instructions for how to achieve at least
$100,000,000 of those cuts during the biennium. Given that the word “should” is
directed at a portion of the cuts already made, nothing in the context suggests that
the cuts themselves, or their amount, is either conditional or conditioned upon any
particular data or analysis.
Plaintiffs have implied that the reference to “access to care” impacts the rate
changes. See Resp. at 16 ¶ 21 (putting “access to care” next to the rate cuts with an
ellipsis). This is misleading: Rider 50 ties access to reformation of reimbursement
methodology, not to rate cuts. Rider 50(c). The rate cuts are in a separate sentence.
And even if the rate cuts were subject to procedural requirement to perform an
“access to care” inquiry, the reference to “access to care” necessarily invokes the
Medicaid Act’s interpretation of the term, because there is no contrary definition in
3
See City of Austin v. Cannizzo, 153 Tex. 324, 331, 267 S.W.2d 808, 813 (1954) (“Whatever
distinctions may be made between the words will and should by lexicographers and between the
phrases ‘the price which the property will bring’ and ‘the price which the property should bring’
by grammarians, the ordinary signification of the latter word and phrase would, by contrast at least,
be calculated to lead the jury to award a greater sum, including purely speculative elements of
damages.”); Ex Parte Mitchell, 783 S.W.2d 703, 705 (Tex. App.—El Paso 1989, no writ) (support
order enforceable even though it says obligor “should” pay); Cullen Center Bank & Trust Co. v.
Tex. Commerce Bank, 841 S.W.2d 116, 125 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1992, writ denied)
(use of word “should” does not render finding speculative).
6
Texas law and because Medicaid is a Spending Clause program. 42 U.S.C.
§ 1396a(30)(A); see Motion at 7-8. Thus, the only potential legal question is whether
the data supporting the adjustment pass muster under federal law—and that inquiry
is in the hands of the Secretary.
B. The Post-Enactment Legislator Letters Cannot Change the
Meaning of the Legislature’s Enactment.
Plaintiffs appear to believe that the number of legislator signatures they can
marshal in support of their lawsuit changes the law. But such letters are of little, or
no, value in determining the meaning of a Legislative enactment. In re Doe, 19 S.W.3d
346, 352 (Tex.2000) (“[C]ourts construing statutory language should give little
weight to post-enactment statements by legislators. Explanations produced, after the
fact, by individual legislators are not statutory history, and can provide little guidance
as to what the legislature collectively intended.”).
“The very notion of post-enactment legislative history is oxymoronic.”
Entergy Gulf States, Inc. v. Summers, 282 S.W.3d 433, 470 n.46 (Tex. 2009). Like all
post-enactment legislative history, the Legislator letters are of little use to the courts,
because they represent the views of the Legislators, not the Legislature as a body at
the time of enactment. See Ojo v. Farmers Group, 356 S.W.3d 421, 433 (Tex. 2011)
(using Commissioner of Insurance report implemented pursuant to statute as
evidence of Legislature’s knowledge of report’s contents). The letters attached to
plaintiffs reply are the type of oxymoronic attempt to sway the outcome of a case on
7
political grounds the Supreme Court has long decried: they “are not statutory
history.” Doe, 19 S.W.3d at 352. They should not sway the Court to take an
unrealistic view of the word “should,” read—as it must be—in light of the
Legislature’s choice to cut far more money from the Medicaid budget and dedicate
$100 million of that cut to rate cuts—as opposed to other aspects of therapy
provision, which are subject to separate cuts of different amounts of money—
addressed to home therapy.
II. THE REMEDY OF SUSPENDING THE OCTOBER 1 RATES IS PREEMPTED BY 42
U.S.C. § 1396C.
Plaintiffs misrepresent the Commission’s position as being that Armstrong
somehow preempts state law. Resp. at 13-14 ¶ 17. In fact, the Commission’s position
is that 42 U.S.C. § 1396c preempts state-court remedies that change the amount of
Medicaid rates.
A. Plaintiffs Misunderstand the Commission’s Preemption
Argument.
Plaintiffs fundamentally misunderstand the Commission’s preemption
argument with regard to the counter-supersedeas order. See Resp. at 9-10 ¶ 14
(asserting that State attacks underlying temporary injunction); 13 ¶ 17 (“Appellants
argue that Armstrong . . . preempts any challenges of any sort”). While the State’s
arguments also impact the various causes of action plaintiffs have attempted (and
failed) to plead, the attack on the counter-supersedeas order is an attack on a specific
8
remedy that changes the amount of Medicaid rates in derogation of 42 U.S.C.
§ 1396c. See Mtn. at 13-17. Implementing a contrary remedy, including a counter-
supersedeas order, is “fundamental error” because it constitutes the exercise of a
power denied to the courts by the federal and Texas constitutions, by taking
something from the executive and federal, and giving it to the state judiciary. See
Mtn. at 17-21; e.g., McCauley v. Consol. Underwriters, 157 Tex. 421, 477, 304 S.W.2d
265, 266 (1957) (per curiam).4 It is the remedy of changing the rates that is preempted
in this case.
Nor does Armstrong preempt anything. The State’s position is that
Armstrong’s construction of 42 U.S.C. § 1396c causes that provision to preempt
contrary remedies. This necessarily follows from the conclusion that there is no
separate cause of action to change Medicaid rates. Mtn. at 11-15. Plaintiffs mistakenly
suggest that Justice Breyer’s view of the issue renders the remainder of Armstrong
non-precedential. Resp. at 14 ¶ 18 (relying on Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, Inc. v.
4
Once again, plaintiffs misunderstand the Commission’s position when they suggest that the
Commission relies on fundamental error as a procedural vehicle to raise a claim. See Resp. at 12-
13. It is, of course, unnecessary to do so because Rule 24 provides a vehicle for the Commission’s
challenge to the underlying order. McCauley is significant because it recognizes the substantive
significance of actions taken outside of a court’s authority to act, which necessarily impact the
validity of judicial action, 304 S.W.2d at 265 (appeal void because interlocutory); see City of Houston
v. Rhule, 417 S.W.3d 440, 442 (Tex. 2013). The Supreme Court routinely acts to prevent extra-
judicial actions. E.g., In re Vaishangi, Inc., 442 S.W.3d 256, 260-61 (Tex. 2014) (mandamus
appropriate to vacate appellate orders based on Rule 11 agreement that did not constitute a final
judgment).
9
Kliebert, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 146988 (M.D. La. Oct 29, 2015) (applying rule from
rule from Marks v. United States, 430 U.S. 188, 193 (1977) to deem Justice Breyer’s
concurrence controlling).5 This is unhelpful, because the district court got the Marks
rule analysis wrong. Justice Breyer joined Part III of Armstrong—the only part of the
majority opinion he did not join was Part IV—so there is no need to apply the Marks
rule.6 The Commission relies on the majority opinion in Part III. See Mtn. at 5-7. In
light of the Fifth Circuit’s similar conclusion regarding access-to-care claims, Equal
Access for El Paso, Inc. v. Hawkins, 509 F.3d 697, 701 (5th Cir. 2007), it is clear that
the relevant remedy when rates are at a particular level is recourse to the federal
Secretary of Health and Human Services.
B. Plaintiffs’ Assertion that the Remedy Remains Unpreempted Is
Based on a Misunderstanding of the Relevant Texas Law.
Plaintiffs simply misunderstand Texas law when they suggest that there is a
separate, statutory right to have courts impose particular Medicaid rates in
derogation of the Secretary’s arguments. See Resp. at 10-11 (asserting that there is a
right to bring suit regarding Medicaid rates triggered by a claim regarding the
5
Like State district-court opinions in the Texas system, federal district court decisions are non-
precedential in the federal system.
6
And even under Justice Breyer’s view that there is potential for judicial review of the Secretary’s
actions in federal court under the federal APA, those federal remedies would nonetheless preempt
the counter-supersedeas order in this case. As Justice Breyer has emphasized, judicial review under
the APA is very different from the exercise of judicial policy making because, significantly, the
APA allows the court only to reverse orders, not to issue relief mandating specific policy outcomes.
See Douglas v. Indep. Living Ctr. of S. Calif., 132 S. Ct. 1204, 1210 (2012).
10
relevant administrative rules). As explained above, plaintiffs’ argument is foreclosed
by El Paso Hospital District II. To establish a separate entitlement to relief that is not
preempted, plaintiffs would have to show a substantive Texas statutory requirement
that imposes an additional requirement regarding the ultimate level of rates, beyond
what the Medicaid Acts require.
Plaintiffs are simply wrong when they suggest that the APA impacts Medicaid
rates at all. The rate making process is not subject to the APA—by statute it requires
only a hearing to consider public input, not the separate range of APA formal
rulemaking. Compare TEX. GOV’T CODE §§ 2001.023, .024, .029, .030 (notice and
comment requirements for rulemaking, including written response requirement),
with 1 TEX. ADMIN. CODE § 322.501 (containing distinct notice and hearing
requirements, with no requirement to respond in writing to comments). There is no
provision, as in the APA, for incorporating the public comments. If public comment
suggests a need for a change, the proper remedy is to pull down the rates and start
the process over.
And plaintiffs are too cute by half when they suggest that federal law is
irrelevant because “[n]owhere in the pleadings, briefing, or temporary injunction is
there any reference to the federal statutory Medicaid right to access to care.” Resp.
at 15 ¶ 19. That is exactly the point. Under Armstrong there is no such federal right
to be enforced in the courts. To recognize an implicit right to do so in Texas courts,
by injunction or supersedeas order, is to disrupt the balance of power between the
11
state and federal governments in the Spending Clause context and, as a result, to
violate both constitutions. See Mtn. at 13-20.
***
The Rule 24 motion presents a remedy preemption issue; the broader
preemption issues are presented in the pending appeal. The Secretary’s authority to
withhold funding is the only remedy related to rate amounts. It is, therefore,
preemptive. Plaintiffs point to nothing in Texas law that creates a separate
procedural or substantive requirement that impacts the amount of rates: their
arguments are all based on inapplicable law and rules. Because plaintiffs rely on their
erroneous view of Texas law, rather than engage with the Commission’s
constitutional arguments, they have provided no basis for their position. The Court
should reverse and vacate the counter-supersedeas order.
III. PLAINTIFFS MISUNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF APPELLATE REVIEW
UNDER RULE 24.4 AND THE SCOPE OF ABUSE-OF-DISCRETION REVIEW.
Plaintiffs’ view of both counter-supersedeas and the bond requirements for
imposing counter-supersedeas are contrary to the text of the rule. Plaintiffs’ view is
that counter-supersedeas is designed to protect the party avoiding supersession.
Resp. at 8-9 ¶ 13 (citing In re Board for Educator Certification, 452 S.W.3d 802 (Tex.
2014) for proposition that § 24.2(a)(3) is a substantive limit on the government’s
ability to obtain supersedeas); Resp. at 23 ¶ 30 (improperly asserting that separate
provision governing supersedeas bonds related to money judgments requires
12
downward adjustment of counter-supersedeas bond to avoid economic harm in case
involving injunctive relief). Accordingly, they argue that the evidence showing that
the plaintiffs would be harmed determines the amount of the bond. Resp. at 23. That
position bears no relationship to the text of Rule 24.
A. Rule 24.2(a)(3) Requires that the Bond Protect the Judgment
Creditor (in this Case the State) from the Change in the Status Quo
During the Appeal.
In fact, Rule 24.2(a)(3) provides:
When the judgment is for something other than money or an interest in
property, the trial court must set the amount and type of security that
the judgment debtor must post. The security must adequately protect
the judgment creditor against loss or damage that the appeal might
cause. But the trial court may decline to permit the judgment to be
superseded if the judgment creditor posts security ordered by the trial
court in an amount and type that will secure the judgment debtor against any
loss or damage caused by the relief granted the judgment creditor if an
appellate court determines, on final disposition, that that relief was improper.
TEX. R. APP. P. 24.2(a)(3) (emphasis added). The plain text requires the bond to be
set in an amount that will protect the State from the potential that it will not be able
to implement Rider 50c’s cuts until after the end of the biennium: the bond must
protect the judgment debtor through resolution of litigation. Thus, the operative
question is whether the Commission (and by extension the State of Texas) will be
protected during the appeal from any ill effects of the status quo being changed
before the appeal is final. See Mtn. at 21-24.
13
Because plaintiffs have proffered only evidence of potential harm to
themselves, there has never been any probative evidence regarding the amount
necessary to protect the State of Texas. They are simply wrong to suggest that the
counter-supersedeas bond should be set at a level that protects the judgment
creditor—quite the opposite.
B. Plaintiffs Attempt to Obscure the Scope of the District Court’s
Injunction in an Attempt to Minimize the Importance of the Bond.
Rule 24 provides that the court of appeals will not be prevented from changing
the amount of the bond based on changed circumstances, merely because the issue
has not been presented to the district court a second time. TEX. R. APP. P. 24.4(b).
There has been a change: in response to the State’s motion to modify the injunction,
the district court declined to provide a more specific ruling, and instead stated that
the scope of the injunction would be made clear in subsequent sanctions proceedings.
Supp. RR.36:17-38:10. This is, plainly, a violation of Rule 683 and a basis for vacating
the temporary injunction in the underlying appeal. TEX. R. CIV. P. 683; Tex. Health
& Human Servs. Comm’n v. Advocates for Patient Access, Inc., 399 S.W.3d 615, 628-29
(Tex. App.—Austin 2013, no pet.). But, apart from that, the district court’s
confirmation of the breadth, and uncertainty, of its order impacts the potential harm
to the State during appeal and, as a result, the appropriate bond to be filed.
Plaintiffs attempt stridently to direct the Court’s attention away from the
district court’s views on the scope of its injunction. See Resp. at 3 n.1 (asking the
14
Court to pretend the hearing did not happen and is not in the record). But the
statements are already in the record, and they are relevant by operation of Rule
24.4(b). The district court’s statements, without doubt, vitiate plaintiffs’ argument
that the counter-supersedeas should be subject to a minimal bond because it only
imposes an obligation not to violate the law. See Resp. at 23-24 ¶ 31.The
Commission, and Rider 50, are held hostage by the district court’s order, in the
absence of a constitutional violation, and without any meaningful guidelines as to
how to proceed. $500 is not a sufficient bond to protect the State of Texas from
potentially losing the entirety of the $100,000,000 the Legislature already cut from
the budget, if this case is not resolved and the mandate issued within the next 22
months. In short, the bond is not related to the factors that the rule says the bond
should be based upon. That is a classic abuse of discretion. See Mtn. at 21-24.
Nor is it an answer to argue, as plaintiffs do, Resp. at 23 ¶ 30, that the cuts can
be made up later in the biennium. Quite the contrary: to achieve the total amount of
cuts, the Commission would have to cut all providers’ rates even more to make up the
difference within the two year deadline for saving the $100 million. See Mtn. at 24.
C. There Is No Preservation Issue, Because this is a Challenge to the
Initial Imposition of Counter-Supersedeas.
Plaintiffs argue waiver. See Resp. at 19-20. But the preemption argument is not
subject to waiver because it is jurisdictional and presents fundamental error, and the
bond amount issue is not subject to waiver because of the district court’s statement
15
on the record regarding the scope of the injunction or, in the alternative, could not
be waived by an Assistant Attorney General.
Preempted acts are outside the courts’ powers. Actions outside of jurisdiction
are subject to attack on appeal without regard to preservation. E.g., Rusk State Hosp.
v. Black, 392 S.W.3d 88, 94 (Tex. 2012); see also McCauley, 157 Tex. at 477, 304
S.W.2d at 266. The counter-supersedeas remedy is at odds with the exclusive
remedy overseen by the federal Secretary of Health and Human Services. Because it
was outside the judicial power entirely, it can be challenged through any appropriate
mechanism—including Rule 24.4.
Plaintiffs further argue that the amount of bond cannot be challenged because
there was no separate motion to change the bond in the district court and because
the assistant attorney general said that the bond was reasonable. Resp. at 21-22 ¶ 28.
Neither claim is dispositive, because the district court’s statements at the motion to
modify have crystallized the lower court’s view of the injunction and plainly imposes
two illegal requirements: (1) that § 355.8021(a)(2)(B) be applied to rate adjustments,
as opposed to periodic rate reviews, see supra, introduction, and (2) that the
Commission find out whether its actions violate the injunction in future sanctions
proceedings, see supra, Part III.B. That broad view of the scope of injunctive relief
expands the scope of the injunctive relief and the potential harm to the State of
Texas. And, as explained above, harm to the State is the only relevant question in
setting the counter-supersedeas bond. TEX. R. APP. P. 24.2(a)(3); see supra, Part
16
III.A. Plaintiffs have never proffered an explanation of how $500 protects the State’s
interests during appeal: they merely suggest that the State’s interests are somehow
less than their own. There is no balancing test.
Even absent the statements at the modification hearing, there would be no
waiver, because an assistant attorney general cannot waive the State’s substantive
interests. TEX. GOV’T CODE § 402.004; see Employees Retirement Sys. v. Bass, 840
S.W.2d 710, 714 (Tex. App.—Eastland 1992, no writ) (“An admission of the
attorney general cannot prejudice the rights of the State.”). This injunction imposes
a limitation on Legislative policy, based on a nominal bond. Even had the assistant
attorney general in question been authorized to make this admission, it would violate
§ 402.004 to allow this admission to stand, because it would allow the attorney
general to make policy, through the courts, in derogation of statutory language. See
Tex. Health Care Information Council v. Seton Health Plan, Inc., 94 S.W.3d 841,848
(Tex. App.—Austin 2002, pet. denied) (citing State v. Keeton Packing Co., 487
S.W.3d 775, 780 (Tex. Civ. App.—Amarillo 1972, writ ref’d n.r.e.)). Allowing this
waiver to preclude a subsequent challenge to the amount of the bond would allow
the Attorney General, by an affirmative statement, to bind the hands of both the
Commission and the Legislature regarding implementation of the budget.
***
The relevant question regarding the bond is whether it will protect the party
seeking supersedeas from damages resulting from changing the status quo. There is
17
no evidence explaining how the bond does this, so its issuance has always been an
abuse of discretion. The scope of the injunction is, at least arguably, broader
following the modification hearing. It is certainly less clear. Thus, even though the
assistant attorney general referred to the bond as “reasonable” in terms of plaintiffs’
evidence regarding harm to themselves, there is no evidence supporting the bond
under the relevant legal inquiry, which is the potential for damage to the State during
the pendency of the appeal. Because the only legally relevant inquiry is whether the
bond protects the State’s interests, the bond amount must be increased to cover the
entire potential loss to the State if this litigation continues through the appellate
process for two or more years.
PRAYER
The Court should vacate the counter-supersedeas order or, in the alternative,
order the bond amount necessary to comply with Rule 24’s requirement that the
party who is denied supersedeas be made entirely whole for any harm caused by
changing the status quo—$100,000,000 to cover both the amount of general revenue
Rider 50(c) was intended to remove from the Medicaid program and the cost of
hiring 50 new employees to comply with the injunction’s requirements.
18
Respectfully submitted.
KEN PAXTON
Attorney General of Texas
CHARLES E. ROY
First Assistant Attorney General
SCOTT A. KELLER
Solicitor General
/s/ Kristofer Monson
KRISTOFER S. MONSON
Assistant Solicitor General
State Bar No. 24037129
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
P.O. Box 12548 (MC 059)
Austin, Texas 78711-2548
Tel.: (512) 936-1700
Fax: (512) 474-2697
kristofer.monson@texasattorneygeneral.gov
COUNSEL FOR APPELLANTS
19
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
On November 10, 2015 this document was served via File&Serve Xpress on:
Ben Hathaway Kristofer S. Monson
Dan Richards Office of the Attorney General
Richards Rodriguez & Skeith P.O. Box 12548 (MC 059)
816 Congress Avenue Austin, Texas 78701
Suite 1200 kristofer.monson@texasattorneygeneral.gov
drichards@rrsfirm.com
bhathaway@rrsfirm.com
COUNSEL FOR APPELLEES COUNSEL FOR APPELLANT
/s/ Kristofer S. Monson
20
APPENDIX
21
CONFERENCE
COMMITTEE REPORT
3RD Printing
H.B. NO. 1
GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS
BILL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
RECAPITULATION - ALL ARTICLES ............................................................................................. ix
ARTICLE I - GENERAL GOVERNMENT
Arts, Commission on the....................................................................................................................... I-1
Attorney General, Office of the ............................................................................................................ I-3
Bond Review Board ............................................................................................................................ I-12
Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas............................................................................ I-13
Comptroller of Public Accounts ......................................................................................................... I-16
Fiscal Programs - Comptroller of Public Accounts ............................................................................ I-22
Informational Listing of Funds Appropriated to the Comptroller for Social Security BRP ....... I-27
Emergency Communications, Commission on State .......................................................................... I-28
Emergency Services Retirement System, Texas ................................................................................. I-31
Employees Retirement System ........................................................................................................... I-32
Ethics Commission, Texas .................................................................................................................. I-36
Facilities Commission......................................................................................................................... I-38
Finance Authority, Public ................................................................................................................... I-46
Governor, Office of the ....................................................................................................................... I-51
Trusteed Programs within the Office of the Governor........................................................................ I-52
Historical Commission........................................................................................................................ I-61
Information Resources, Department of ............................................................................................... I-66
Library & Archives Commission ........................................................................................................ I-72
Pension Review Board ........................................................................................................................ I-76
Preservation Board .............................................................................................................................. I-77
Risk Management, State Office of ...................................................................................................... I-80
Secretary of State ................................................................................................................................ I-82
Veterans Commission ......................................................................................................................... I-85
Retirement and Group Insurance ..................................................................................................... ...I-89
Social Security and Benefit Replacement Pay .................................................................................... I-90
Bond Debt Service Payments.............................................................................................................. I-90
Lease Payments ................................................................................................................................... I-91
Recapitulation - Article I - General Revenue...................................................................................... I-92
Recapitulation - Article I - General Revenue - Dedicated .................................................................. I-93
Recapitulation - Article I - Federal Funds .......................................................................................... I-94
Recapitulation - Article I - Other Funds ............................................................................................. I-95
Recapitulation - Article I - All Funds ................................................................................................. I-96
ARTICLE II - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Aging and Disability Services, Department of .................................................................................... II-1
Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Department of ....................................................................... II-18
Family and Protective Services, Department of................................................................................. II-30
State Health Services, Department of ................................................................................................ II-47
Health and Human Services Commission .......................................................................................... II-76
Retirement and Group Insurance ..................................................................................................... II-107
Social Security and Benefit Replacement Pay ................................................................................. II-108
Bond Debt Service Payments........................................................................................................... II-108
Lease Payments ................................................................................................................................ II-109
Special Provisions Relating to All Health and Human Services Agencies ...................................... II-109
Recapitulation - Article II - General Revenue ................................................................................. II-135
Recapitulation - Article II - General Revenue - Dedicated .............................................................. II-136
Recapitulation - Article II - Federal Funds ...................................................................................... II-137
Recapitulation - Article II - Other Funds ......................................................................................... II-138
Recapitulation - Article II - All Funds ............................................................................................. II-139
ARTICLE III - EDUCATION
Education Agency, Texas ................................................................................................................... III-1
Blind and Visually Impaired, School for the .................................................................................... III-21
Deaf, School for the .......................................................................................................................... III-25
Special Provisions for the School for the Blind and Visually Impaired /
School for the Deaf ........................................................................................................................... III-27
Teacher Retirement System .............................................................................................................. III-28
Optional Retirement Program ........................................................................................................... III-33
Group Insurance Contributions, Higher Education Employees ........................................................ III-34
Higher Education Coordinating Board ............................................................................................. III-39
Higher Education Fund ..................................................................................................................... III-56
The University of Texas System Administration .............................................................................. III-56
Available University Fund ................................................................................................................ III-58
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Continued)
Available National Research University Fund.................................................................................. III-61
Permanent Fund Supporting Military and Veterans Exemptions ..................................................... III-62
The University of Texas at Arlington ............................................................................................... III-62
The University of Texas at Austin .................................................................................................... III-65
The University of Texas at Dallas..................................................................................................... III-69
The University of Texas at El Paso................................................................................................... III-71
The University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley................................................................................. III-74
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin ................................................................................. III-78
The University of Texas at San Antonio........................................................................................... III-80
The University of Texas at Tyler ...................................................................................................... III-83
Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices .............................................. III-85
Texas A&M University..................................................................................................................... III-86
Texas A&M University at Galveston................................................................................................ III-88
Prairie View A&M University .......................................................................................................... III-90
Tarleton State University .................................................................................................................. III-93
Texas A&M University - Central Texas ........................................................................................... III-95
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi .......................................................................................... III-97
Texas A&M University - Kingsville............................................................................................... III-100
Texas A&M University – San Antonio........................................................................................... III-102
Texas A&M International University ............................................................................................. III-104
West Texas A&M University ......................................................................................................... III-106
Texas A&M University - Commerce .............................................................................................. III-109
Texas A&M University - Texarkana .............................................................................................. III-111
University of Houston System Administration ............................................................................... III-113
University of Houston ..................................................................................................................... III-115
University of Houston - Clear Lake ................................................................................................ III-117
University of Houston - Downtown ................................................................................................ III-119
University of Houston - Victoria .................................................................................................... III-121
Midwestern State University........................................................................................................... III-122
University of North Texas System Administration......................................................................... III-125
University of North Texas .............................................................................................................. III-126
University of North Texas at Dallas ............................................................................................... III-128
Stephen F. Austin State University ................................................................................................. III-130
Texas Southern University .............................................................................................................. III-132
Texas Tech University System Administration .............................................................................. III-135
Texas Tech University .................................................................................................................... III-136
Angelo State University .................................................................................................................. III-138
Texas Woman’s University............................................................................................................. III-140
Texas State University System ....................................................................................................... III-143
Lamar University ............................................................................................................................ III-144
Lamar Institute of Technology........................................................................................................ III-146
Lamar State College - Orange ......................................................................................................... III-148
Lamar State College - Port Arthur .................................................................................................. III-150
Sam Houston State University ........................................................................................................ III-151
Texas State University .................................................................................................................... III-154
Sul Ross State University................................................................................................................ III-156
Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College ............................................................................... III-158
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center ................................................................. III-160
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston .................................................................. III-163
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston........................................................... III-167
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio .................................................... III-171
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center ............................................................... III-175
The University of Texas Health Center at Tyler ............................................................................. III-179
Texas A&M University System Health Science Center ................................................................. III-182
University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth ................................................... III-187
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center .............................................................................. III-191
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso ............................................................. III-194
Public Community/Junior Colleges ................................................................................................ III-198
Texas State Technical College System Administration .................................................................. III-207
Texas State Technical College - Harlingen..................................................................................... III-210
Texas State Technical College - West Texas .................................................................................. III-211
Texas State Technical College - Marshall ...................................................................................... III-213
Texas State Technical College - Waco ........................................................................................... III-214
Special Provisions Relating Only to Components of Texas State Technical College .................... III-216
Texas A&M Agrilife Research ....................................................................................................... III-218
Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service ......................................................................................... III-221
Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station ................................................................................ III-224
Texas A&M Transportation Institute .............................................................................................. III-226
Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service .................................................................................. III-229
Texas A&M Forest Service ............................................................................................................ III-231
Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory ............................................................... III-234
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Continued)
Retirement and Group Insurance .................................................................................................... III-236
Social Security and Benefit Replacement Pay ................................................................................ III-237
Bond Debt Service Payments.......................................................................................................... III-237
Lease Payments ............................................................................................................................... III-238
Special Provisions Relating Only to State Agencies of Higher Education ..................................... III-238
Recapitulation - Article III - General Revenue ............................................................................... III-262
Recapitulation - Article III - General Revenue - Dedicated ........................................................... III-264
Recapitulation - Article III - Federal Funds .................................................................................... III-266
Recapitulation - Article III - Other Funds ....................................................................................... III-267
Recapitulation - Article III - All Funds........................................................................................... III-268
ARTICLE IV - THE JUDICIARY
Supreme Court of Texas .................................................................................................................... IV-1
Court of Criminal Appeals ................................................................................................................. IV-3
First Court of Appeals District, Houston ........................................................................................... IV-6
Second Court of Appeals District, Fort Worth .................................................................................. IV-8
Third Court of Appeals District, Austin............................................................................................. IV-9
Fourth Court of Appeals District, San Antonio ............................................................................... IV-10
Fifth Court of Appeals District, Dallas ............................................................................................ IV-11
Sixth Court of Appeals District, Texarkana ..................................................................................... IV-12
Seventh Court of Appeals District, Amarillo ................................................................................... IV-13
Eighth Court of Appeals District, El Paso ....................................................................................... IV-14
Ninth Court of Appeals District, Beaumont..................................................................................... IV-16
Tenth Court of Appeals District, Waco ........................................................................................... IV-17
Eleventh Court of Appeals District, Eastland .................................................................................. IV-18
Twelfth Court of Appeals District, Tyler ......................................................................................... IV-19
Thirteenth Court of Appeals District, Corpus Christi - Edinburg .................................................... IV-20
Fourteenth Court of Appeals District, Houston ............................................................................... IV-21
Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council ................................................................. IV-22
Office of Capital Writs..................................................................................................................... IV-28
State Prosecuting Attorney, Office of the ........................................................................................ IV-29
State Law Library ............................................................................................................................ IV-30
Commission on Judicial Conduct, State .......................................................................................... IV-32
Judiciary Section, Comptroller’s Department .................................................................................. IV-33
Retirement and Group Insurance ..................................................................................................... IV-37
Social Security and Benefit Replacement Pay ................................................................................. IV-38
Lease Payments ................................................................................................................................ IV-38
Special Provisions - Judiciary .......................................................................................................... IV-39
Recapitulation - Article IV - General Revenue ................................................................................ IV-40
Recapitulation - Article IV - General Revenue - Dedicated ............................................................ IV-41
Recapitulation - Article IV - Federal Funds..................................................................................... IV-42
Recapitulation - Article IV - Other Funds ....................................................................................... IV-43
Recapitulation - Article IV - All Funds ........................................................................................... IV-44
ARTICLE V - PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Alcoholic Beverage Commission......................................................................................................... V-1
Criminal Justice, Department of .......................................................................................................... V-4
Fire Protection, Commission on......................................................................................................... V-21
Jail Standards, Commission on .......................................................................................................... V-23
Juvenile Justice Department............................................................................................................... V-24
Law Enforcement, Commission on.................................................................................................... V-36
Military Department........................................................................................................................... V-39
Public Safety, Department of ............................................................................................................. V-44
Retirement and Group Insurance ....................................................................................................... V-60
Social Security and Benefit Replacement Pay ................................................................................... V-60
Bond Debt Service Payments............................................................................................................. V-61
Lease Payments .................................................................................................................................. V-61
Special Provisions Relating to Public Safety and Criminal Justice Agencies ................................... V-61
Recapitulation - Article V - General Revenue ................................................................................... V-62
Recapitulation - Article V - General Revenue - Dedicated................................................................ V-63
Recapitulation - Article V - Federal Funds ........................................................................................ V-64
Recapitulation - Article V - Other Funds ........................................................................................... V-65
Recapitulation - Article V - All Funds ............................................................................................... V-66
ARTICLE VI - NATURAL RESOURCES
Agriculture, Department of ................................................................................................................ VI-1
Animal Health Commission ............................................................................................................. VI-10
Commission on Environmental Quality........................................................................................... VI-13
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Continued)
General Land Office and Veterans’ Land Board ............................................................................. VI-24
Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission ..................................................... VI-30
Parks and Wildlife Department ........................................................................................................ VI-32
Railroad Commission....................................................................................................................... VI-45
Soil and Water Conservation Board................................................................................................. VI-50
Water Development Board .............................................................................................................. VI-53
Retirement and Group Insurance ..................................................................................................... VI-61
Social Security and Benefit Replacement Pay ................................................................................. VI-62
Bond Debt Service Payments........................................................................................................... VI-62
Lease Payments ................................................................................................................................ VI-62
Recapitulation - Article VI - General Revenue ................................................................................ VI-64
Recapitulation - Article VI - General Revenue - Dedicated ............................................................ VI-65
Recapitulation - Article VI - Federal Funds..................................................................................... VI-66
Recapitulation - Article VI - Other Funds ....................................................................................... VI-67
Recapitulation - Article VI - All Funds ........................................................................................... VI-68
ARTICLE VII - BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Housing and Community Affairs, Department of ............................................................................. VII-1
Lottery Commission, Texas .............................................................................................................. VII-7
Motor Vehicles, Department of ...................................................................................................... VII-11
Transportation, Department of ........................................................................................................ VII-14
Workforce Commission, Texas....................................................................................................... VII-31
Reimbursements to the Unemployment Compensation Benefit Account .............................. VII-45
Retirement and Group Insurance .................................................................................................... VII-46
Social Security and Benefit Replacement Pay ................................................................................ VII-47
Bond Debt Service Payments.......................................................................................................... VII-47
Lease Payments ............................................................................................................................... VII-47
Recapitulation - Article VII - General Revenue ............................................................................. VII-49
Recapitulation - Article VII - General Revenue - Dedicated .......................................................... VII-50
Recapitulation - Article VII - Federal Funds .................................................................................. VII-51
Recapitulation - Article VII - Other Funds ..................................................................................... VII-52
Recapitulation - Article VII - All Funds ......................................................................................... VII-53
ARTICLE VIII - REGULATORY
Administrative Hearings, State Office of......................................................................................... VIII-1
Chiropractic Examiners, Board of ................................................................................................... VIII-5
Dental Examiners, Texas State Board of ......................................................................................... VIII-7
Funeral Service Commission ........................................................................................................... VIII-9
Geoscientists, Board of Professional ............................................................................................. VIII-11
Health Professions Council ............................................................................................................ VIII-13
Injured Employee Counsel, Office of ............................................................................................ VIII-14
Insurance, Department of ............................................................................................................... VIII-16
Insurance Counsel, Office of Public .............................................................................................. VIII-24
Land Surveying, Board of Professional ......................................................................................... VIII-26
Licensing and Regulation, Department of ..................................................................................... VIII-27
Texas Medical Board ..................................................................................................................... VIII-32
Nursing, Texas Board of ................................................................................................................ VIII-36
Optometry Board ........................................................................................................................... VIII-39
Pharmacy, Board of ....................................................................................................................... VIII-40
Physical Therapy & Occupational Therapy Examiners, Executive Council of ............................. VIII-43
Plumbing Examiners, Board of ...................................................................................................... VIII-45
Podiatric Medical Examiners, Board of ......................................................................................... VIII-46
Psychologists, Board of Examiners of ........................................................................................... VIII-48
Racing Commission ....................................................................................................................... VIII-49
Securities Board ............................................................................................................................. VIII-53
Utility Commission of Texas, Public ............................................................................................. VIII-55
Utility Counsel, Office of Public ................................................................................................... VIII-59
Veterinary Medical Examiners, Board of ...................................................................................... VIII-60
Retirement and Group Insurance ................................................................................................... VIII-62
Social Security and Benefit Replacement Pay ............................................................................... VIII-63
Lease Payments .............................................................................................................................. VIII-63
Special Provisions Relating to All Regulatory Agencies ............................................................... VIII-63
Recapitulation - Article VIII - General Revenue ........................................................................... VIII-67
Recapitulation - Article VIII - General Revenue - Dedicated........................................................ VIII-68
Recapitulation - Article VIII - Federal Funds ................................................................................ VIII-69
Recapitulation - Article VIII - Other Funds ................................................................................... VIII-70
Recapitulation - Article VIII - All Funds ....................................................................................... VIII-71
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Continued)
ARTICLE IX - GENERAL PROVISIONS
GENERAL PROVISIONS LEGISLATIVE INTENT ...................................................................... IX-1
Sec. 1.01. Limitations ............................................................................................................... IX-1
PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE POSITION CLASSIFICATION PLAN ................................ IX-1
Sec. 2.01. Position Classification Plan...................................................................................... IX-1
Classified Positions for the 2016-17 Biennium........................................................ IX-1
Schedule A Classification Salary Schedule ........................................................... IX-17
Schedule B Classification Salary Schedule ............................................................ IX-17
Schedule C Classification Salary Schedule ............................................................ IX-18
SALARY ADMINISTRATION AND OTHER EMPLOYMENT PROVISIONS ......................... IX-18
Sec. 3.01. Salary Rates............................................................................................................ IX-18
Sec. 3.02. Salary Supplementation ......................................................................................... IX-19
Sec. 3.03. Salary Limits .......................................................................................................... IX-19
Sec. 3.04. Scheduled Exempt Positions. ................................................................................. IX-19
Sec. 3.05. Evening, Night, Weekend Shift Pay: Registered Nurses and Licensed
Vocational Nurses .................................................................................................. IX-21
Sec. 3.06. Recruitment and Retention Bonuses ...................................................................... IX-21
Sec. 3.07. Equity Adjustments ................................................................................................ IX-21
Sec. 3.08. Classification Study on Scheduled Exempt Positions ............................................ IX-22
Sec. 3.09. Method of Salary Payments ................................................................................... IX-22
Sec. 3.10. Exception - Contracts Less than 12 Months........................................................... IX-22
Sec. 3.11. Exceptions for Certain Employees ......................................................................... IX-22
Sec. 3.12. Exceptions for Salary Schedule C .......................................................................... IX-22
Sec. 3.13. Matching Retirement and Certain Insurance .......................................................... IX-22
GRANT-MAKING PROVISIONS.................................................................................................. IX-23
Sec. 4.01. Grant Restriction .................................................................................................... IX-23
Sec. 4.02. Grants ..................................................................................................................... IX-23
Sec. 4.03. Grants for Political Polling Prohibited ................................................................... IX-23
Sec. 4.04. Limitation on Grants to Units of Local Government ............................................. IX-23
TRAVEL REGULATIONS ............................................................................................................. IX-24
Sec. 5.01. Travel Definitions. ................................................................................................. IX-24
Sec. 5.02. General Travel Provisions ...................................................................................... IX-24
Sec. 5.03. Transportation Expenses ........................................................................................ IX-24
Sec. 5.04. Transportation in Personally Owned or Leased Aircraft........................................ IX-24
Sec. 5.05. Travel Meals and Lodging Expenses ..................................................................... IX-24
Sec. 5.06. Special Provisions Regarding Travel Expenses ..................................................... IX-25
Sec. 5.07. Travel and Per Diem of Board or Commission Members ...................................... IX-25
Sec. 5.08. Travel of Advisory Committee Members .............................................................. IX-25
GENERAL LIMITATIONS ON EXPENDITURES ....................................................................... IX-26
Sec. 6.01. Unexpended Balance .............................................................................................. IX-26
Sec. 6.02. Interpretation of Estimates ..................................................................................... IX-26
Sec. 6.03. Excess Obligations Prohibited ............................................................................... IX-26
Sec. 6.04. Interpretation of Legislative Intent......................................................................... IX-26
Sec. 6.05. Comptroller’s Duty to Pay ..................................................................................... IX-27
Sec. 6.06. Last Quarter Expenditures...................................................................................... IX-27
Sec. 6.07. Employee Benefit and Debt Service Items ............................................................ IX-27
Sec. 6.08. Benefits Paid Proportional by Fund ....................................................................... IX-27
Sec. 6.09. Appropriations from Special Funds ....................................................................... IX-28
Sec. 6.10. Limitation on State Employment Levels ................................................................ IX-28
Sec. 6.11. Purchases of Postage .............................................................................................. IX-31
Sec. 6.12. Expenditures for State-Federal Relations............................................................... IX-31
Sec. 6.13. Performance Rewards and Penalties ...................................................................... IX-31
Sec. 6.14. Bookkeeping Entries .............................................................................................. IX-32
Sec. 6.15. Accounting for State Expenditures ........................................................................ IX-32
Sec. 6.16. Fee Increase Notification ....................................................................................... IX-32
Sec. 6.17. Consolidated Funds ................................................................................................ IX-32
Sec. 6.18. Demographic and Statistical Studies ...................................................................... IX-32
Sec. 6.19. Cost Allocations ..................................................................................................... IX-33
Sec. 6.20. Use of Appropriations to Contract for Audits ........................................................ IX-33
Sec. 6.21. Limitations on Use of Appropriated Funds ............................................................ IX-33
Sec. 6.22. Informational Items ................................................................................................ IX-33
Sec. 6.23. Appropriations from State Tax Revenue ................................................................ IX-33
Sec. 6.24. Deposit and Notification Requirement for Certain RESTORE Act Funds ............ IX-33
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Continued)
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................... IX-34
Sec. 7.01. Budgeting and Reporting ....................................................................................... IX-34
Sec. 7.02. Annual Reports and Inventories ............................................................................. IX-35
Sec. 7.03. Notification to Members of the Legislature ........................................................... IX-35
Sec. 7.04. Contract Notification: Amounts Greater than $50,000 .......................................... IX-35
Sec. 7.05. Reports and References .......................................................................................... IX-35
Sec. 7.06. Internal Assessments on Utilization of Historically Underutilized
Businesses .............................................................................................................. IX-36
Sec. 7.07. Historically Underutilized Business Policy Compliance ....................................... IX-36
Sec. 7.08. Reporting of Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Key Measures ............. IX-36
Sec. 7.09. Fraud Reporting ..................................................................................................... IX-37
Sec. 7.10. Reporting Requirement for Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Funds ........................... IX-37
Sec. 7.11. Border Security ...................................................................................................... IX-37
Sec. 7.12. Notification of Certain Purchases or Contract Awards, Amendments,
and Extensions ....................................................................................................... IX-38
Sec. 7.13. Notification of Certain Expenditures Related to Mitigation of
Adverse Environmental Impacts ............................................................................ IX-40
OTHER APPROPRIATION AUTHORITY ................................................................................... IX-40
Sec. 8.01. Acceptance of Gifts of Money ............................................................................... IX-40
Sec. 8.02. Reimbursements and Payments.............................................................................. IX-40
Sec. 8.03. Surplus Property ..................................................................................................... IX-41
Sec. 8.04. Refunds of Deposits ............................................................................................... IX-42
Sec. 8.05. Vending Machines ................................................................................................. IX-42
Sec. 8.06. Pay Station Telephones .......................................................................................... IX-42
Sec. 8.07. Appropriation of Collections for Seminars and Conferences ................................ IX-42
Sec. 8.08. Appropriation of Bond Proceeds ............................................................................ IX-43
Sec. 8.09. CMIA Interest Payments ........................................................................................ IX-43
Sec. 8.10. Appropriation of Receipts: Credit, Charge, Debit Card, or Electronic
Cost Recovery Service Fees ................................................................................... IX-43
Sec. 8.11. Employee Meal Authorization ............................................................................... IX-43
Sec. 8.12. Bank Fees and Charges .......................................................................................... IX-43
Sec. 8.13. Appropriation of Specialty License Plate Receipts ................................................ IX-43
Sec. 8.14. Cost Recovery of Testing Fees............................................................................... IX-43
Sec. 8.15. Cost Recovery of Fees ........................................................................................... IX-44
INFORMATION RESOURCES PROVISIONS ............................................................................. IX-44
Sec. 9.01. Purchases of Information Resources Technologies................................................ IX-44
Sec. 9.02. Quality Assurance Review of Major Information Resources Projects................... IX-44
Sec. 9.03. Biennial Operating Plan and Information Resources Strategic Plan
Approval................................................................................................................. IX-45
Sec. 9.04. Information Technology Replacement ................................................................... IX-45
Sec. 9.05. Texas.gov Project: Occupational Licenses............................................................. IX-46
Sec. 9.06. Texas.gov Project: Cost Recovery Fees ................................................................. IX-46
Sec. 9.07. Payments to the Department of Information Resources......................................... IX-46
Sec. 9.08. Computer Inventory Report ................................................................................... IX-47
Sec. 9.09. Server Consolidation Status Update....................................................................... IX-47
Sec. 9.10. Prioritization of Cybersecurity and Legacy System Projects ................................. IX-48
Sec. 9.11. Cybersecurity Initiatives ........................................................................................ IX-48
Sec. 9.12. Surplus Information Technology Hardware ........................................................... IX-49
HEALTH-RELATED PROVISIONS.............................................................................................. IX-49
Sec. 10.01. Full Application for Health Coverage ............................................................... IX-49
Sec. 10.02. Appropriation of Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments to
State - Owned Hospitals .................................................................................... IX-49
Sec. 10.03. Informational Listing on Use of Tobacco Settlement Receipts ........................ IX-49
Sec. 10.04. Statewide Behavioral Health Strategic Plan and Coordinated
Expenditures ...................................................................................................... IX-51
Sec. 10.05. Funding for Autism Services ............................................................................ IX-53
PROVISIONS RELATED TO REAL PROPERTY ........................................................................ IX-54
Sec. 11.01. Limitation on Use of Funds for Personal Residences ....................................... IX-54
Sec. 11.02. Reporting Related to State Owned Housing ..................................................... IX-54
Sec. 11.03. Statewide Capital Planning ............................................................................... IX-54
Sec. 11.04. Efficient Use of State Owned and Leased Space .............................................. IX-55
Sec. 11.05. State Agency Emergency Leases ...................................................................... IX-55
Sec. 11.06. Prepayment of Annual Lease Costs................................................................... IX-56
Sec. 11.07. Efficient Use of State Property to House State Facilities .................................. IX-56
vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Continued)
PROVISIONS RELATED TO PROPERTY ................................................................................... IX-56
Sec. 12.01. Aircraft .............................................................................................................. IX-56
Sec. 12.02. Publication or Sale of Printed, Recorded, or Electronically Produced
Matter or Records .............................................................................................. IX-57
Sec. 12.03. Limitation on Expenditures for Purchases and Conversions of
Alternative Fuel Vehicles .................................................................................. IX-57
Sec. 12.04. Transfer of Master Lease Purchase Program Payments .................................... IX-57
FEDERAL FUNDS ......................................................................................................................... IX-58
Sec. 13.01. Federal Funds/Block Grants .............................................................................. IX-58
Sec. 13.02. Report of Additional Funding ........................................................................... IX-58
Sec. 13.03. Report of Expanded Operational Capacity ........................................................ IX-58
Sec. 13.04. Reports to Comptroller ...................................................................................... IX-58
Sec. 13.05. Deposit and Expenditure Limitations ................................................................ IX-58
Sec. 13.06. Reimbursements from Federal Funds................................................................ IX-59
Sec. 13.07. Limitations on Positions .................................................................................... IX-59
Sec. 13.08. Funding Reductions........................................................................................... IX-59
Sec. 13.09. Unexpended Balances ....................................................................................... IX-59
Sec. 13.10. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
or Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) ............................................................ IX-59
Sec. 13.11. Definition, Appropriation, Reporting and Audit of
Earned Federal Funds ........................................................................................ IX-60
Sec. 13.12. Reporting of Federal Homeland Security Funding ........................................... IX-62
AGENCY DISCRETIONARY TRANSFER PROVISIONS ......................................................... IX-62
Sec. 14.01. Appropriation Transfers .................................................................................... IX-62
Sec. 14.02. Transfers for Contract Services ......................................................................... IX-63
Sec. 14.03. Limitation on Expenditures – Capital Budget ................................................... IX-63
Sec. 14.04. Disaster Related Transfer Authority.................................................................. IX-65
Sec. 14.05. Unexpended Balance Authority Between Fiscal Years within
The Same Biennium .......................................................................................... IX-66
AGENCY NON-DISCRETIONARY TRANSFER PROVISIONS ................................................ IX-67
Sec. 15.01. Reimbursements for Unemployment Benefits .................................................. IX-67
Sec. 15.02. Payments to the State Office of Risk Management (SORM) ............................ IX-68
Sec. 15.03. Contingency Appropriation Reduction ............................................................. IX-69
Sec. 15.04. Appropriation Transfers: Billings for Statewide Allocated Costs ..................... IX-70
LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND JUDGMENTS PROVISIONS .............................................. IX-70
Sec. 16.01. Court Representation and Outside Legal Counsel............................................. IX-70
Sec. 16.02. Contingent Fee Contract for Legal Services ..................................................... IX-71
Sec. 16.03. Proceeds of Litigation ....................................................................................... IX-72
Sec. 16.04. Judgments and Settlements ............................................................................... IX-72
Sec. 16.05. Incidents Report: State Supported Living Centers
and State Hospitals ............................................................................................ IX-74
Sec. 16.06. Professional and Legal Services ........................................................................ IX-74
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS ................................................................................................ IX-74
Sec. 17.01. Contingency Rider............................................................................................. IX-74
Sec. 17.02. Limitation on Substitution of General Obligation Bond
Funded Projects ................................................................................................. IX-74
Sec. 17.03. Interagency Contract to Coordinate Use of PARIS Data to Assist
Veterans and Achieve Savings for State ........................................................... IX-74
Sec. 17.04. Payroll Contribution for Group Health Insurance ............................................. IX-75
Sec. 17.05. Appropriation for Salary Increases for Certain State Employees
in Salary Schedule C ......................................................................................... IX-75
Sec. 17.06. Veterans Services at Other State Agencies ....................................................... IX-76
Sec. 17.07. Agency Coordination for Youth Prevention and Intervention Services ............ IX-76
Sec. 17.08. Additional Payroll Contribution for Retirement Contribution .......................... IX-76
Sec. 17.09. Border Security – Informational Listing ........................................................... IX-77
CONTINGENCY AND OTHER PROVISIONS ............................................................................ IX-79
Recapitulation – Article IX - General Provisions – General Revenue............................................. IX-99
Recapitulation – Article IX – General Provisions – General Revenue – Dedicated ...................... IX-100
Recapitulation – Article IX - General Provisions – Federal Funds............................................... IX-101
Recapitulation – Article IX – General Provisions – Other Funds .................................................. IX-102
Recapitulation – Article IX – General Provisions – All Funds ...................................................... IX-103
CONTINGENCY PROVISIONS: ARTICLE AND AGENCY INDEX ....................................... IX-104
vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(Continued)
ARTICLE X - THE LEGISLATURE
Senate ................................................................................................................................................... X-1
House of Representatives ..................................................................................................................... X-2
Legislative Council .............................................................................................................................. X-4
Uniform State Laws, Commission on .................................................................................................. X-5
State Auditor’s Office .......................................................................................................................... X-5
Legislative Reference Library.............................................................................................................. X-6
Retirement and Group Insurance ......................................................................................................... X-7
Social Security and Benefit Replacement Pay ..................................................................................... X-8
Lease Payments .................................................................................................................................... X-8
Special Provisions Relating to the Legislature..................................................................................... X-8
Recapitulation - Article X - General Revenue ..................................................................................... X-9
Recapitulation - Article X - Other Funds ........................................................................................... X-10
Recapitulation - Article X - All Funds ............................................................................................... X-11
ARTICLE XI – SAVINGS CLAUSE................................................................................... XI-1
ARTICLE XII – EMERGENCY CLAUSE..................................................................................... XI-1
viii
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION
(Continued)
(HHSC) in Goal B, Medicaid, and Goal C, Children's Health Insurance Program, HHSC may
implement the following quality-based reforms in the Medicaid and CHIP programs:
a. develop quality-based outcome and process measures that promote the provision of efficient,
quality health care and that can be used to implement quality-based payments for acute and
long-term care services across delivery models and payment systems;
b. implement quality-based payment systems for compensating a health care provider or facility
participating in the Medicaid and CHIP programs;
c. implement quality-based payment initiatives to reduce potentially preventable readmissions
and potentially preventable complications; and
d. implement a bundled payment initiative in the Medicaid program, including a shared savings
component for providers that meet quality-based outcomes. The executive commissioner
may select high-cost and/or high-volume services to bundle and may consider the
experiences of other payers and other state of Texas programs that purchase healthcare
services in making the selection.
e. Under the Health and Human Services Commission's authority in 1 T.A.C. Sec. 355.307(c),
the commission may implement a Special Reimbursement Class for long term care
commonly referred to as "small house facilities." Such a class may include a rate
reimbursement model that is cost neutral and that adequately addresses the cost differences
that exist in a nursing facility constructed and operated as a small house facility, as well as
the potential for off-setting cost savings through decreased utilization of higher cost
institutional and ancillary services. The payment increment may be based upon a provider
incentive payment rate.
Required Reporting: The commission shall provide annual reports to the Governor's Office of
Budget, Planning, and Policy and Legislative Budget Board on December 1, 2015 and December
1, 2016 that include (1) the quality-based outcome and process measures developed; (2) the
progress of the implementation of quality-based payment systems and other related initiatives; (3)
outcome and process measures by health service region; and (4) cost-effectiveness of quality-
based payment systems and other related initiatives.
47. Texas Office for the Prevention of Developmental Disabilities. Out of General Revenue Funds
appropriated above in Strategy A.1.1, Enterprise Oversight and Policy, the Health and Human
Services Commission shall expend an amount not to exceed $200,000 each fiscal year for salaries,
travel expenses, and other costs in order to support the Office for Prevention of Developmental
Disabilities. Grants and donations for the Texas Office for Prevention of Developmental
Disabilities received through the authority provided by Article IX, Sec. 8.01, Acceptance of Gifts
of Money, are not subject to this limit and shall be expended as they are received as a first source,
and General Revenue shall be used as a second source to support the office.
48. Supplemental Payments. It is the intent of the Legislature that when the Health and Human
Services Commission calculates supplemental payments, data be collected to provide transparency
regarding claims associated with the supplemental payment program. An independent audit of the
program, including a review of regional affiliations, uncompensated care claims for both
uninsured and insured individuals, and contractual agreements, and a report with findings should
be completed and distributed annually on March 1 to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Senate Finance Committee members, the House
Appropriations Committee members, and the Legislative Budget Board.
49. Prevent Eligibility Determination Fraud. It is the intent of the Legislature that to prevent fraud
and to maximize efficiencies, the Health and Human Services Commission shall use technology to
identify the risk for fraud associated with applications for benefits. Within the parameters of state
and federal law, the commission shall set appropriate verification and documentation requirements
based on the application's risk to ensure agency resources are targeted to maximize fraud reduction
and case accuracy.
50. Medicaid Funding Reduction and Cost Containment.
a. Included in appropriations above in Goal B, Medicaid, is a reduction of $186,500,000 in
General Revenue Funds and $249,349,498 in Federal Funds in fiscal year 2016 and
$186,500,000 in General Revenue Funds and $247,220,930 in Federal Funds in fiscal year
A529-Conf-2-B II-96 May 25, 2015
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION
(Continued)
2017, a biennial total of $373,000,000 in General Revenue Funds and $496,570,428 in
Federal Funds. The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is authorized to
transfer these reductions between fiscal years and to allocate these reductions among health
and human services agencies as listed in Article II of this Act, pursuant to the requirement to
submit a plan included in Subsection (d) of this rider.
b. This reduction shall be achieved through the implementation of the plan described under
subsection (d) which may include any or all of the following initiatives:
(1) Continue strengthening and expanding prior authorization and utilization reviews,
(2) Incentivize appropriate neonatal intensive care unit utilization and coding,
(3) Fully implement dually eligible Medicare/Medicaid integrated care model and long-
term services and supports quality payment initiative,
(4) Maximize co-payments in Medicaid programs,
(5) Increase fraud, waste, and abuse prevention and detection,
(6) Explore changes to premium structure for managed care organizations and contracting
tools to reduce costs and increase efficiency,
(7) Renegotiate more efficient contracts, including reducing the administrative contract
profit margin and establish rebate provisions where possible,
(8) Develop a dynamic premium development process for managed care organizations that
has an ongoing methodology for reducing inappropriate utilization, improving
outcomes, reducing unnecessary spending, and increasing efficiency,
(9) Implement fee-for-service payment changes and managed care premium adjustments
that incentivize the most appropriate and effective use of services,
(10) Improve birth outcomes, including improving access to information and payment
reform,
(11) Increase efficiencies in the vendor drug program,
(12) Increase third party recoupments,
(13) Create a pilot program on motor vehicle subrogation,
(14) Assess options to reduce costs for retroactive Medicaid claims,
(15) Review the cost effectiveness of including children with disabilities in dental managed
care,
(16) Review and determine the benefits of providing the managed care-organizations with
the ability to create a pharmacy lock-in program, and
(17) Implement additional initiatives identified by HHSC.
c. HHSC shall reform reimbursement methodology to be in line with industry standards,
policies, and utilization for acute care therapy services (including physical, occupational, and
speech therapies) while considering stakeholder input and access to care. Out of the amount
in subsection (a), in each fiscal year at least $50,000,000 in General Revenue Funds savings
should be achieved through rate reductions and $25,000,000 in General Revenue Funds
savings may be achieved through various medical policy initiatives listed in items (1)-(10),
below. If $25,000,000 in savings is not achieved through various medical policy initiatives in
fiscal year 2016, the amount of unrealized savings (the difference between $25,000,000 in
General Revenue Funds and savings actually achieved in fiscal year 2016) should be
achieved through additional rate reductions in fiscal year 2017 while continuing any
A529-Conf-2-B II-97 May 25, 2015
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION
(Continued)
initiatives implemented in fiscal year 2016 that have been found to produce savings. HHSC
may achieve savings through various medical policy initiatives, taking into consideration the
following:
(1) Clarifying policy language regarding co-therapy definition, documentation, and billing
requirements,
(2) Clarifying who can participate in therapy sessions in policy that interns, aides,
students, orderlies and technicians can participate in therapy sessions when they are
directly and appropriately supervised according to provider licensure requirements,
but they are not eligible to enroll as providers and bill Texas Medicaid for services,
(3) Consolidate Traditional, Comprehensive Care Program and Home Health Agency
therapy policies into one policy,
(4) Require a primary care or treating physician to initiate a signed order or referral prior
to an initial therapy evaluation. The initial evaluation may require prior authorization
and the signed order or referral must be dated prior to the evaluation,
(5) Require a primary care or treating physician to order the therapy services based on the
outcomes of the evaluation,
(6) Clarify medical necessity for therapy services to ensure prior authorization staff who
are reviewing requests are using guidelines based on the nationally recognized
standards of care,
(7) Require licensed Medicaid enrolled therapists to document and support decisions for
continued therapy based on professional assessment of a client's progress relative to
their individual treatment plan and in concert with the client's primary care physician
and the individual and/or family,
(8) Ensure appropriate duration of services by aligning authorization periods with national
standards,
(9) Streamline prior authorization processes, and
(10) Implement policies that ensure services are provided in the most cost-efficient and
medically appropriate setting, and implementation of other medical or billing policy
changes.
d. HHSC shall develop a plan to allocate the reductions required by Subsection (a) of this rider
by taking actions such as those suggested under Subsection (b) and (c) of this rider to the
budgets of the health and human services agencies as listed in Chapter 531, Government
Code. The plan shall include reduction amounts by strategy and fiscal year and shall be
submitted in writing before December 1, 2015 to the Legislative Budget Board, the
Governor, and the Comptroller of Public Accounts.
51. Improve Efficiencies in Benefit Applications. Out of funds appropriated above, in order to
improve efficiencies, the Health and Human Services Commission shall promote online
submissions of applications for benefits administered by the agency. HHSC shall develop
standards and technical requirements to allow organizations to electronically submit applications.
It is the intent of the Legislature that HHSC only expend funds or utilize agency resources to
partner with entities whose role in submitting benefit applications has been statutorily established,
or with entities that provide in-person assistance using the agency's website for clients.
52. Dental and Orthodontia Providers in the Texas Medicaid Program. It is the intent of the
Legislature that the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) use funds appropriated
above in Strategy G.1.1, Office of Inspector General, to strengthen the capacity of the HHSC
Inspector General to detect, investigate, and prosecute abuse by dentists and orthodontists who
participate in the Texas Medicaid program. Further, it is the intent of the Legislature that HHSC
conduct more extensive reviews of medical necessity for orthodontia services in the Medicaid
program.
A529-Conf-2-B II-98 May 25, 2015