3-15-508 - Review of proposed legislation. [Effective until June 30, 2014. See the Compiler's Notes.]

3-15-508. Review of proposed legislation. [Effective until June 30, 2014. See the Compiler's Notes.]

(a)  When any bill is introduced in the general assembly that will impact or potentially impact upon any area within the scope of review of the committee, as set out in this chapter, the clerk shall at the same time such bill is referred to the appropriate standing committee, notify the chair of the oversight committee of such bill and transmit a copy of such bill to the oversight committee. For purposes of participating in the discussions and comments of the oversight committee, the oversight committee chair shall notify the chair or the chair's designee of the standing committee of the date, time and location where the oversight committee will meet to review legislation which has been assigned to the standing committee, and such chair or the chair's designee shall become an ex officio member of the oversight committee when the oversight committee considers such legislation.

(b)  In order to efficiently execute the duties set out in this part, the committee shall review all bills transmitted to it as provided in subsection (a), and may attach committee comments to such bill prior to its consideration by the appropriate standing committee. The sole purpose of review by the committee is to assist the standing committee in its consideration of TennCare related legislation by providing appropriate background information on the bill or information concerning the impact of the bill on the TennCare program. The committee shall make no recommendation concerning the passage of a bill it reviews nor shall it have the authority to prevent the consideration of the bill by the standing committee to which it is referred. The committee's review of all bills transmitted to it pursuant to subsection (a) shall be completed and the notification required in subsection (c) returned to the chair of the appropriate standing committee no later than four (4) weeks after a bill covered by the provisions of this section has first been introduced.

(c)  Upon completion of the review process within the time limitation established in subsection (b), the chair of the oversight committee shall send written notification to the chair of the appropriate standing committee indicating that the review process has occurred and that the bill is ready for consideration by the standing committee. If the oversight committee has prepared committee comments on a bill, such comments shall be attached to the notification to the chair. If the committee has reviewed a bill but has no committee comments, that shall be indicated in the notification to the chair. If a bill is referred to the committee for review but has not been reviewed within the time period set out in subsection (b), the chair shall notify the appropriate chair that the bill has not been reviewed but is ready for consideration by the standing committee.

(d)  Before the commissioner of health may submit a request for an amendment to the waiver or a renewal of the waiver for the TennCare program to the United States department of health and human services, the commissioner shall transmit such proposed amendment to the committee for comment at least thirty (30) days prior to submission of the waiver to the department of health and human services. No such amendment or renewal request may be submitted or take effect unless the committee has been afforded the opportunity to comment. Since such amendment or renewal requests are legally enforceable when they take effect, the committee shall review such amendments or renewal requests in the same manner as proposed legislation, subject to the thirty-day period required by this subsection (d).

[Acts 1994, ch. 830, § 9; Acts 1998, ch. 835, § 1; 1999, ch. 226, § 1.]