HBA-MPM C.S.H.B. 768 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 768 By: Maxey Public Health 3/4/2001 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The 73rd Legislature established the HIV/AIDS Interagency Council to facilitate communication between agencies and associations that provide HIV/AIDS services to individuals, families, and communities. The Texas Department of Health reports that the severe health effects of hepatitis infection, especially hepatitis C, make it a serious public health concern. C.S.H.B. 768 expands the scope of the HIV/AIDS Interagency Council to include hepatitis. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 768 amends the Health and Safety Code to change the name of the HIV/AIDS Interagency Coordinating Council to the Interagency Coordinating Council for HIV and hepatitis (council), and to include policies and program activities relating to hepatitis among the council's concerns. The bill adds the Texas Department on Aging and the Texas Workforce Commission to the list of agencies represented on the council. The bill requires each agency represented to ensure that a representative of the agency attends at least three quarterly council meetings each year. The council is required to provide an opportunity for interested members of the public to provide recommendations and information to the council during any meeting at which the council intends to vote or votes on any matter, and at least one of any two consecutive quarterly council meetings. The bill requires the council to file a report with the legislature and governor no later than September 1 of each even-numbered year, rather than submitting a report once each year. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE C.S.H.B. 768 differs from the original by requiring the Interagency Coordinating Council for HIV and hepatitis (council) to provide an opportunity for interested members of the public to provide recommendations and information to the council during any meeting at which the council intends to vote or votes on any matter, and at least one of any two consecutive quarterly council meetings. The original required the council to provide for public input at each quarterly meeting.