85R11576 EES-D     By: Farrar H.B. No. 3694       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the health professions resource center; increasing a   fee.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 105.002, Health and Safety Code, is   amended by adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read as follows:          (d)  To the extent funding is available through fees   collected under Section 505.203(d), Occupations Code, the council   shall establish a social work section for workforce studies within   the center for the collection and analysis of educational and   employment trends for social workers in this state.          (e)  If the social work section for workforce studies   established under Subsection (d) is funded from surcharges   collected under Section 505.203(d), Occupations Code, the council   shall provide the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners with   an annual accounting of the money received from the board.  The   council may expend a reasonable amount of the money to pay the   administrative costs of maintaining the social work section for   workforce studies.          SECTION 2.  Sections 105.003(a), (c-1), (d), and (e), Health   and Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:          (a)  The council shall place a high priority on collecting   and disseminating data on health professions demonstrating an acute   shortage in this state, including:                (1)  data concerning nursing personnel; [and]                (2)  data concerning social workers; and                (3)  data concerning the health professions in which   shortages occur in rural areas and areas near the international   border.          (c-1)  The Department of Information Resources, through the   state electronic Internet portal and in consultation with the   council and the Health Professions Council, shall add the following   fields on an application or renewal form for a license,   certificate, or registration for a person subject to Subsection   (c-2):                (1)  date and place of birth;                (2)  sex;                (3)  race and ethnicity;                (4)  location of high school;                (5)  mailing address of primary practice;                (6)  number of hours per week spent at primary practice   location;                (7)  description of primary practice setting;                (8)  primary practice information, including primary   specialty practice, practice location zip code, and county; [and]                (9)  information regarding any additional practice,   including description of practice setting, practice location zip   code, and county; and                (10)  a description of the person's language fluency.          (d)  To the extent feasible, the council shall use a   researcher with a doctorate in nursing to collect, analyze, and   disseminate nursing data that may be used to predict supply and   demand for nursing personnel in this state using appropriate   federal or state supply-and-demand models.  To the extent feasible,   the council shall use a researcher with a degree from a master's   social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work   Education and a doctorate in social work to collect, analyze, and   disseminate social work data that may be used to predict supply and   demand for social work personnel in this state using appropriate   federal or state supply-and-demand models. The nursing and social   work data must at least:                (1)  include demographics, areas of practice, supply,   demand, and migration; and                (2)  be analyzed to identify trends relating to numbers   and geographical distribution, practice setting, and area of   practice and, to the extent possible, compare those trends with   corresponding national trends.          (e)  Data received under this section by the nursing resource   section or the social work section for workforce studies   established under Section 105.002 that contains information   identifying specific patients or health care facilities is   confidential, is not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552,   Government Code, and may not be released unless all identifying   information is removed.          SECTION 3.  Section 105.004(b), Health and Safety Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (b)  The council shall publish reports regarding the data   collected and analyzed under this chapter related to:                (1)  the educational and employment trends of nursing   and social work professionals;                (2)  the supply and demand of nursing and social work   professionals; and                (3)  other issues, as determined necessary by the   council, concerning nursing or social work professionals in this   state.          SECTION 4.  Section 505.203, Occupations Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:          (d)  Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, the   amount of the fee to renew a social worker license is increased by   $10.  The board may use six cents from the amount of the surcharge   under this subsection to cover the administrative costs of   collecting and depositing the surcharge.  The board quarterly shall   transmit the remainder of each surcharge to the Department of State   Health Services to be used only to fund the social work section for   workforce studies under Section 105.002, Health and Safety Code.     The board is not required to collect the surcharge if the board   determines that the money collected is not appropriated to fund the   social work section for workforce studies.          SECTION 5.  Section 505.203(d), Occupations Code, as added   by this Act, applies only to a license renewed on or after the   effective date of this Act. A license renewed before the effective   date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the   license was renewed, and the former law is continued in effect for   that purpose.          SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.