SRC-JJJ H.B. 1860 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterH.B. 1860
By: Gutierrez (Madla)
Health Services
5/14/1999
Committee Report (Amended)


DIGEST 

Acanthosis nigricans is a primary marker for high insulin levels that are
indicative of insulin resistance.  Insulin resistance is a primary factor
in the development of Type 2 diabetes.  The development of Type 2 diabetes
can be prevented by identifying insulin resistance early in life. Current
law requires school children to be screened for vision and hearing
disorders.  Screening for acanthosis  nigricans involves only a visual
check of the child's neck and can be done in conjunction with vision,
hearing, and scoliosis screening.  H.B. 1860 would establish the acanthosis
nigricans screening pilot program in public and private schools in certain
counties.   
 
PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 1860 establishes the acanthosis nigricans screening pilot
program in public and private schools in certain counties.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is granted to the Texas-Mexico Border Health
Coordination Office of the University of Texas System in SECTION 3(a) of
this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  DEFINITIONS.  Defines "acanthosis nigricans," "executive
council," "office," "professional examination," "school," and "screening
test."  

SECTION 2.  PILOT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.  Requires the Texas-Mexico Border
Health Coordination Office (office) of the University of Texas system to
establish an acanthosis screening pilot program, not later than the
1999-2000 school year.  Provides that the pilot program applies only in
certain counties.   

SECTION 3.  ACANTHOSIS NIGRICANS SCREENING PILOT PROGRAM.  Requires the
executive council of the office, by rule, to require screening of
individuals who attend public or private schools to detect acanthosis
nigricans.  Authorizes the executive council to consider the number of
individuals  to be screened and the availability of personnel qualified to
administer the required screening.  Requires the rules to include
procedures necessary to administer the required screening.  Requires the
office to require the screening to be performed at the same time hearing
and vision screening is performed.  Authorizes the office to coordinate the
screening with certain entities so that the efforts of each entity are
complementary and not fragmented and duplicative.  Authorizes the office to
provide technical assistance to those entities in developing screening
programs and to provide educational and other material to assist local
screening activities.  Requires the office to monitor the quality  of
screening activities. 

SECTION 4.  COMPLIANCE WITH SCREENING REQUIREMENTS.  Requires each required
individual required to be screened to undergo approved screening for
acanthosis nigricans.  Requires the individual to comply with the
requirements as soon as possible after the individual's admission to a
school and as required by rule.  Authorizes the individual, or if a minor,
the individual's guardian, to substitute a professional examination for the
screening.  Sets forth qualifications for an individual's exemption from
screening.  Requires the chief administrator for each school to ensure that
each individual admitted to the school complies with the screening
requirements set by the  executive council or submits an affidavit of
exemption. 

SECTION 5.  RECORDS; REPORTS.  Requires the chief administrator of each
school to maintain the screening records, and that the records are open for
inspection by the office or the local health department.  Authorizes the
office to enter a school and inspect records, maintained by the school
relating to screening for acanthosis nigricans.  Authorizes an individual's
screening records to be transferred among schools without consent.
Requires the person performing the screening to send a report indicating
that a person may have acanthosis nigricans to the individual or the
individual's legal guardian.  Sets forth requirements for the report.
Requires each school to submit to the office an annual report regarding the
screening status and other related  information of the individuals in
attendance during the reporting year.  Sets forth the form of the report. 

SECTION 6.  REPORTS.  Requires the office to submit to the governor and the
legislature the report concerning the effectiveness of the pilot program,
not later than January 1, 2001. 

SECTION 7.  EXPIRATION DATE.  Provides that this Act expires September 1,
2001. 

SECTION 8.  Establishes that this Act takes effect only if a specific
appropriation for the implementation of this Act is provided in H.B. 1,
Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999.  Establishes that if
no specific appropriation is provided in H.B. 1, then this Act has no
effect. 

SECTION 8.  Emergency clause.
  Effective date: 90 days after adjournment.