BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 1486 By: Zaffirini (Berlanga) May 2, 1995 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Current law does not require health care organizations to share information about immunizations, which can make determining whether a child has received required shots difficult. PURPOSE S.B. 1486, would require the Texas Department of Health (TDH) to establish and maintain an immunization tracking registry containing information on the immunization history of everyone in Texas under 18 years old. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill grants rulemaking authority to the Texas Board of Health under SECTION 1 (Section 161.007(e), Health and Safety Code). SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Adds Sections 161.007 and 161.008 to Chapter 161A, Health and Safety Code, as follows: Sec. 161.007. IMMUNIZATION TRACKING REGISTRY; REPORTS TO DEPARTMENT. (a) Requires the TDH to establish and maintain an immunization tracking registry (registry) for the state. (b) Requires the registry to contain information on the immunization history that is obtained by the TDH under this section of each person who is under 18 years of age. (c) Requires a health care provider who administers an immunization to a person under 18 years of age to submit a report to the TDH. Requires the report to be in a format prescribed by the TDH, and allows the report to be submitted in writing, by electronic means, or by voice. (d) Requires an insurance company, health maintenance organization, and any other organization that pays or reimburses a claim for an immunization to a person under 18 years of age to provide immunization information to the TDH. (e) Requires the Texas Board of Health to adopt rules to administer this section. (f) States that information obtained for the registry is confidential, with an exception. Sec. 161.008. IMMUNIZATION RECORD. (a) States that an immunization record is part of the registry. (b) Requires an immunization record to contain specified information. (c) States that the data constituting an immunization record are not subject to the provisions governing physician-patient communications in Section 5.08, Medical Practice Act (Article 4495b, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) or the confidentiality provisions in Section 161.007. (d) Requires an immunization record to be accessible to the public in order to provide current information on the immunization status of a person under 18 years of age. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1995. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION S.B. 1486 was considered by the Public Health Committee in a public hearing on May 2, 1995. The bill was reported favorably without amendment, with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed and be sent to the Committee on Local and Consent Calendars, by a record vote of 6 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 PNV, and 3 ABSENT.