SRC-MKV H.B. 3572 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 3572
77R11725 DLF-FBy: George (Lindsay)
Health & Human Services
5/4/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Each year thousands of individuals in the United States are diagnosed with
fatal blood-related diseases, such as leukemia, lymphoma, aplastic anemia,
and deficiencies of the immune system. A majority of such cases are treated
through bone marrow transplants, yet approximately 10,000 to 15,000
Americans each year who need a bone marrow transplant are unable to find
suitable donors. In lieu of a bone marrow transplant, umbilical cord blood,
which is rich in stem cells, may be used to treat a variety of these fatal
blood-related diseases. Unfortunately, treatment by umbilical cord blood is
not always an option because of the lack of facilities, problematic
collection procedures, and costs associated with testing, processing, and
storage. H.B. 3572 establishes a grant program for the establishment of an
umbilical cord blood bank in Texas.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of health and
human services in SECTION 2 of this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  DEFINITIONS.  Defines "commissioner" and "commission."
  
SECTION 2.  GRANT PROGRAM. (a)  Requires the Health and Human Services
Commission (commission), subject to available funds, to establish a program
to award a grant of start-up money for the establishment in this state of
an umbilical cord blood bank for recipients of blood and blood components
who are unrelated to the donors of the blood. 

(b)  Requires the Health and Human Services Commissioner (commissioner) by
rule to establish eligibility criteria for awarding the grant.  Requires
the commission to consider certain information in awarding the grant. 

(c)  Requires the recipient of the grant awarded under this Act to enter
into a contract under which the recipient agrees to meet certain criteria. 
  
(d)  Provides that the grant awarded under this Act is governed by Chapter
783 (Uniform Grant and Contract Management), Government Code, and rules
adopted under that chapter. 
 
SECTION 3.  RULES.  Requires that not later than January 1, 2002, the
commissioner adopt rules necessary to implement this Act. 
 
SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. Effective date: September 1, 2001.