1-1     By:  Jackson, Moncrief                                S.B. No. 1833
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 24, 1999; March 25, 1999, read
 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Health Services;
 1-4     April 8, 1999, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; April 8, 1999,
 1-6     sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1833                 By:  Lindsay
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to disposing of certain waste created by home health
1-11     providers.
1-12           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 142, Health and Safety
1-14     Code, is amended by adding Section 142.020 to read as follows:
1-15           Sec. 142.020.  DISPOSAL OF SPECIAL OR MEDICAL WASTE.  (a)  A
1-16     home and community support services agency that generates special
1-17     or medical waste while providing home health services must dispose
1-18     of the waste in the same manner that the home and community support
1-19     services agency disposes of special or medical waste generated in
1-20     the agency's office location.
1-21           (b)  A home and community support services agency shall
1-22     provide both verbal and written instructions to the agency's client
1-23     regarding the proper procedure for disposing of sharps.  Sharps
1-24     include hypodermic needles; hypodermic syringes with attached
1-25     needles; scalpel blades; razor blades, disposable razors, and
1-26     disposable scissors used in medical procedures; and intravenous
1-27     stylets and rigid introducers.
1-28           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-29           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-30     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-31     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-32     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-33     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
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