LSL S.B. 388 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS PUBLIC HEALTH S.B. 388 By: Whitmire (Van de Putte) 3-5-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND A recent survey of phone calls to the six poison control centers in Texas showed that a disproportionate number are handled by staff in Dallas or Galveston. These centers are plagued by budget shortfalls and increased operating costs. According to Office of the Comptroller's recommendations, sharing resources and services through contractual agreements between the centers in each region would provide a means to both maximize resources and reduce costs of providing services. PURPOSE S.B. 388 permits poison control centers to service other regions that have centers in order to maximize resources and to provide appropriate services in each region. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill expressly grants additional rulemaking authority to the Texas Department of Health (TDH) and the Advisory Commission on State Emergency Communications (ACSEC) in Section 1 (amending Section 777.001(b), Health and Safety Code). SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 777.001(b), Health and Safety Code, by allowing TDH and ACSEC to jointly adopt rules permitting poison control centers to provide services for regions served by other poison control centers as necessary to maximize resource efficiency and appropriate services in each region. SECTION 2. Amends Section 777.002(b) and (c), Health and Safety Code, to allow poison information services to be directly available from a regional center or from another poison control center. Allows routing of 9-1-1 service calls to a poison control answering sites outside of a region. Makes conforming changes. SECTION 3. Amends Chapter 777, Health and Safety Code, by adding Sections 777.010 and 777.011, as follows: Sec. 777.010. OUT-OF-REGION SERVICES; SERVICES FOR PRIVATE ENTITIES. Subsection (a) allows TDH and ACSEC to jointly enter into contract for the provision of telephone referral and information services or any program or service described by Section 777.003 to any person, state, country, or political subdivision of another state or country. Subsection (b) requires TDH and ACSEC to contract with one or more regional centers to provide the services required under Subsection (a), and prohibits a contract that would result in diminished services to the region. Subsection (c) requires a contract described under Subsection (a) to recover costs for services provided and allows for inclusion of an additional amount to support poison control services in this state. Requires that revenue from such contract be deposited into the regional poison control services account. Sec. 777.011. REGIONAL POISON CONTROL SERVICES ACCOUNT. Establishes that the regional poison control services account is in the general revenue fund and composed of deposits under Section 777.010(c). Requires that money in the account be appropriated only to TDH and ACSEC for administration and payment of Section 777.010(b) contracts and Section 777.009 grant awards. SECTION 4. Subsection (a) requires that TDH and ACSEC conduct a study to determine possible contract opportunities to provide poison control services as set forth in Sec. 777.010(a). Requires that considerations of this study include the use of the available telecommunication network; the use of interactive computer technology to distribute medical information and toxicological advice; and the potential for providing outside services and recovering the costs of those services. Subsection (b) requires that the study be completed by September 1, 1998. Subsection (c) requires TDH and ACSEC to take steps necessary to obtain contracts if they find that appropriate opportunities exist for entering into such contracts. Subsection (d) requires TDH and ACSEC to report to the legislature regarding implementation of this section by January 15, 1999. SECTION 5. Emergency clause. Establishes that this Act would take effect upon passage.