SRC-VRA C.S.H.B. 1097 78(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.H.B. 1097 78R16507 DLF-F By: Capelo (Gallegos) Health & Human Services 5/21/2003 Committee Report (Substituted) DIGEST AND PURPOSE Currently, Texas has a successful birth defects registry program. C.S.H.B. 1097 strengthens the registry by requiring its existence, rather than authorizing it. This bill also provides for both active and passive collection of birth defects information. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 87.021, Health and Safety Code, by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (f), as follows: (a) Requires, rather than authorizes, the Texas Board of Health (board) to establish in the Texas Department of Health (TDH) a program to identify and investigate certain birth defects in children, and maintain a central registry of cases of birth defects. (c) Requires the board and TDH to design the program so that the program will provide for the active collection of birth defects information. Makes a conforming change. (f) Authorizes the board and TDH, in addition to providing for the active collection of birth defects information under Subsection (c)(7), to design the program to also provide for the passive collection of that information. SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.