SRC-PNG C.S.H.B. 1504 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.H.B. 1504
By: Goolsby (Harris)
Health Services
5/12/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 

Alzheimer's disease is a common cause of dementia in older people.
Dementia is a medical condition that disrupts the way the brain works.
This disease affects the parts of the brain that control thought, memory,
and language.  This bill would establish a consortium of Alzheimer's
disease centers at institutions of higher education to provide centralized,
uniform services among the consortium centers. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.H.B. 1504 establishes a consortium of Alzheimer's disease
centers at institutions of higher education to provide centralized, uniform
services among the consortium centers. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Title 3H, Education Code, by adding Chapter 151, as
follows: 

CHAPTER 151.  CONSORTIUM OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE CENTERS

Sec.  151.001.  DEFINITION.  Defines "council."

Sec.  151.002.  CONSORTIUM; CLINICAL CENTERS.  Requires the Texas Council
on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders (council) to establish a
consortium of Alzheimer's disease centers (consortium), to be initially
composed of the Alzheimer's disease centers at the Baylor College of
Medicine, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, and the
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. Authorizes the
council to add additional consortium participants to the consortium as
necessary.  Requires the council to fund the consortium participants'
development of clinical centers that meet the standards of the consortium.
Authorizes a participant's clinical center to hire necessary employees. 

Sec.  151.003.  PROGRAMS.  Requires the consortium to coordinate and direct
its programs, as is practicable, to provide centralized, uniform services
among the consortium participants. Requires the consortium to offer
clinical services to all patients of the consortium's clinical centers.
Requires the consortium to establish a database for making data available
to each consortium participant, for providing a resource index to
facilitate research projects, and for providing data on patient health
outcomes to appropriate state agencies and to researchers in this state.
Requires the consortium with the aid of the council and the national
Alzheimer's Association or its affiliate to develop and distribute to
patients, caregivers, and health-care professionals, educational materials
and services and inform patients of any research projects and therapeutic
trials open for their participation.   

Sec.  151.004.  STEERING COMMITTEE.  Requires the council to establish a
steering committee composed of one representative from each consortium
participant to advise the council on consortium activities. 
 
Sec.  151.005.  DATA COORDINATING CENTER.  Requires the council to
establish a data coordinating center to be located at the Texas Tech
University Health Sciences Center and to operate the center, as is
practicable, in association with the data management operations of that
institution's Alzheimer's disease center.  Requires the data coordinating
center to establish a database and make data available to each consortium
participant according to the specific activities of the participant.
Requires the council to appoint a physician or other person with a similar
clinical background to administer the center.  Authorizes the administrator
of the center to employ any personnel necessary to support the center's
activities, including a project coordinator.  Authorizes the administrator
to require the project coordinator to hold a master's or doctoral degree
related to public health.  Requires the project coordinator to coordinate
the activities among the center, the consortium participants, the council
and the public. 

Sec.  151.006.  FUNDING.  Authorizes the council to receive
state-appropriated funds for the purpose of establishing and maintaining
the consortium and data coordinating center under this chapter.  Authorizes
the council to solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations for purposes
of this chapter. 

Sec.  151.007.  ACCESS TO DATA.  Authorizes the council to restrict access
to the data maintained by the consortium or data coordinating center under
this chapter.  Requires the steering committee to periodically review and
evaluate the availability and sharing of data under this section. 

Sec.  151.008.  PERFORMANCE REVIEW.  Requires the council, with
recommendations from the steering committee, to review and evaluate the
performance of the consortium participants and data coordinating center at
least every five years. 

SECTION 2. Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.