Enrolled Bill Summary

House Bill 181	House Author:  Johnson, Jarvis et al.
Effective:  Vetoed	Senate Sponsor:  Miles et al.

            House Bill 181 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to establish and maintain a sickle cell disease registry for use as a single repository of accurate, complete records of sickle cell disease cases to aid in the disease's cure and treatment in Texas. The bill requires an applicable health care facility to provide DSHS with certain data concerning cases of sickle cell disease and provides for DSHS' implementation powers and duty to submit an annual report to the legislature.

Governor's Reason for Veto: "I am signing House Bill No. 1488 into law because sickle cell disease is a serious problem in Texas. House Bill No. 181, however, would force hospitals to share reams of sensitive health information with a sickle cell disease registry, putting the privacy of patients at risk. It would leave the hard work of ensuring confidentiality to agency rulemaking, even though no funds were appropriated to achieve the bill's purported purpose."