By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1486 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to the creation of an immunization tracking registry and 1-2 to reporting requirements concerning immunizations. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 161, Health and Safety 1-5 Code, is amended by adding Sections 161.007 and 161.008 to read as 1-6 follows: 1-7 Sec. 161.007. IMMUNIZATION TRACKING REGISTRY; REPORTS TO 1-8 DEPARTMENT. (a) The department shall establish and maintain an 1-9 immunization tracking registry for the state. 1-10 (b) The immunization tracking registry must contain 1-11 information on the immunization history that is obtained by the 1-12 department under this section of each person who is under 18 years 1-13 of age. 1-14 (c) A health care provider who administers an immunization 1-15 to a person under 18 years of age shall submit a report to the 1-16 department. The report must be in a format prescribed by the 1-17 department, which may include submission in writing, by electronic 1-18 means, or by voice. 1-19 (d) An insurance company, a health maintenance organization, 1-20 or any other organization that pays or reimburses a claim for an 1-21 immunization to a person under 18 years of age shall provide 1-22 immunization information to the department. 1-23 (e) The board shall adopt rules to administer this section. 2-1 (f) Information obtained by the department for the 2-2 immunization tracking registry is confidential and is not subject 2-3 to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code, except as 2-4 provided by Section 161.008 for the immunization record. 2-5 Sec. 161.008. IMMUNIZATION RECORD. (a) An immunization 2-6 record is part of the immunization tracking registry. 2-7 (b) An immunization record must contain the: 2-8 (1) name of the person immunized; 2-9 (2) date of immunization; 2-10 (3) type of immunization administered; and 2-11 (4) name and address of the health care provider 2-12 administering the immunization. 2-13 (c) The data constituting an immunization record is not 2-14 subject to the provisions governing physician-patient 2-15 communications in Section 5.08, Medical Practice Act (Article 2-16 4495b, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), or to the confidentiality 2-17 provisions in Section 161.007. 2-18 (d) The immunization record shall be accessible to the 2-19 public in order to provide current information on the immunization 2-20 status of a person under 18 years of age. 2-21 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. 2-22 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-25 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.