1-1 By: George, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Lindsay) H.B. No. 3572 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 2, 2001; 1-3 May 3, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Health 1-4 and Human Services; May 8, 2001, reported favorably by the 1-5 following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 8, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to establishing an unrelated donor umbilical cord blood 1-9 bank. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: 1-12 (1) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of health 1-13 and human services. 1-14 (2) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services 1-15 Commission. 1-16 SECTION 2. GRANT PROGRAM. (a) Subject to available funds, 1-17 the commission shall establish a program to award a grant of 1-18 start-up money for the establishment in this state of an umbilical 1-19 cord blood bank for recipients of blood and blood components who 1-20 are unrelated to the donors of the blood. 1-21 (b) The commissioner by rule shall establish eligibility 1-22 criteria for awarding the grant. In awarding the grant, the 1-23 commission shall consider: 1-24 (1) the ability of the applicant to establish, 1-25 operate, and maintain an unrelated donor umbilical cord blood bank 1-26 and to provide related services; 1-27 (2) the demonstrated experience of the applicant in 1-28 operating similar facilities in this state; and 1-29 (3) the applicant's commitment to continue to operate 1-30 and maintain an unrelated donor umbilical cord blood bank after 1-31 the expiration of the term of the contract required by Subsection 1-32 (c) of this section. 1-33 (c) The recipient of the grant awarded under this Act must 1-34 enter into a contract under which the recipient agrees to: 1-35 (1) operate and maintain an unrelated donor umbilical 1-36 cord blood bank in this state at least until the eighth anniversary 1-37 of the date of the award of the grant under this Act; 1-38 (2) gather, collect, and preserve umbilical cord blood 1-39 only from live births; and 1-40 (3) comply with any financial or reporting 1-41 requirements imposed on the recipient under rules adopted by the 1-42 commissioner. 1-43 (d) The grant awarded under this Act is governed by Chapter 1-44 783, Government Code, and rules adopted under that chapter. 1-45 SECTION 3. RULES. Not later than January 1, 2002, the 1-46 commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to implement this Act. 1-47 SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September 1, 1-48 2001. 1-49 * * * * *