BILL ANALYSIS



H.B. 1491
By: Sadler
03-21-95
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND

Section 81.051 of the Health and Safety Code established the Texas
Department of Health (TDH) Partner Notification Program for
individuals with HIV. It requires an employee of the Partner
Notification Program to notify the partner of an individual with
HIV if the infected person voluntarily discloses the partner's
name. The law also requires the program to provide counseling,
testing and referral services. All of the information the program
collects is confidential and may be used only for field
investigation and notification.

PURPOSE

H.B. 1491 would provide for the notification of a partner of an
individual with HIV whether or not the individual with HIV consents
to the notification.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly
grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer,
department, agency, or institution.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 81.051 of the Health and Safety Code by
adding a new Subsection (g), and relettering the current
subsections from (g) through (i) to (h) through (j). Subsection (g)
establishes that a partner notification program is required to
notify a partner of a person with HIV infection in the manner
authorized in this section, regardless of whether or not the person
with HIV infection who gave the partner's name consents to the
notification.

SECTION 2. Emergency clause.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

H.B. 1491 was considered by the Committee on Public Health in a
public hearing on March 21, 1995.

The following persons testified in favor of the bill:
     Representative Sadler, author of the bill.
     Brenda E. Sanders, representing self.

The following person testified neutrally on the bill:
     Casey Blass, representing Texas Department of Health.

     The bill was reported favorably without amendment, with the
recommendation that it do pass and be printed, by a record vote of
9 Ayes, 0 Nays, 0 PNV, 0 Absent.