By: King of Hemphill	H.B. No. 4599

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the transfer of duties of the State Office of Rural
	Health from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of
	State Health Services.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  On September 1, 2023:
	(1)  the administration of the State Office of the
	Rural Health is transferred from the Office of Rural Affairs under
	the Texas Department of Agriculture to the Department of State
	Health Services;
	(2)  all rules, policies, procedures, and decisions of
	the Office of Rural Affairs or the Department of Agriculture
	relating to the administration of the State Office of Rural Health
	are continued in effect as rules, policies, procedures, and
	decisions of the office until superseded by a rule or other
	appropriate action by Department of State Health Services; and
	(3)  a reference in law or administrative rule to the
	Department of Agriculture or State Office of Rural Affairs relating
	to the administration of the State Office of Rural Affairs means
	Department of State Health Services.
	SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 12, Health and Safety
	Code, is amended by adding Section 12.021 to read as follows:
	Sec. 12.021.  STATE OFFICE OF RURAL HEALTH. The department
	shall ensure that the office qualifies as the state's office of
	rural health for the purpose of receiving grants from the Office of
	Rural Health Policy of the United States Department of Health and
	Human Services under 42 U.S.C. Section 254r.
	SECTION 3.  Subdivision 487.051(9), Government Code, is
	repealed.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2023.