By George                                             H.B. No. 3572
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to establishing an unrelated donor umbilical cord blood
 1-3     bank.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act:
 1-6                 (1)  "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the
 1-7     Health and Human Services Commission.
 1-8                 (2)  "Commission" means the Texas Health and Human
 1-9     Services Commission.
1-10           SECTION 2. GRANT PROGRAM. (a)  Subject to available funds,
1-11     the commission shall establish a program to award a grant of
1-12     start-up money for the establishment in this state of an umbilical
1-13     cord blood bank for recipients of blood and blood components who
1-14     are unrelated to the donors of the blood.
1-15           (b)  The commission by rule shall establish eligibility
1-16     criteria for awarding the grant.  In awarding the grant, the
1-17     department shall consider:
1-18                 (1)  the ability of the applicant to establish,
1-19     operate, and maintain an unrelated donor umbilical cord blood bank
1-20     and to provide related services;
1-21                 (2)  the demonstrated experience of the applicant in
1-22     operating similar facilities in this state; and
1-23                 (3)  the applicant's commitment to continue to operate
 2-1     and maintain  an unrelated donor umbilical cord blood bank after
 2-2     the expiration of the term of the contract required by Subsection
 2-3     (c) of this section.
 2-4           (c)  The recipient of the grant awarded under this Act must
 2-5     enter into a contract under which the recipient agrees to:
 2-6                 (1)  operate and maintain an unrelated donor umbilical
 2-7     cord blood bank in this state at least until the eighth anniversary
 2-8     of the date of the award of the grant under this Act; and
 2-9                 (2)  comply with any financial or reporting
2-10     requirements imposed on the recipient under board rule.
2-11           (d)  The grant awarded under this Act is governed by Chapter
2-12     783, Government Code, and rules adopted under that chapter.
2-13           SECTION 3. RULES. Not later than January 1, 2002, the board
2-14     shall adopt rules necessary to implement this Act.
2-15           SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September 1,
2-16     2001.