SRC-JEC H.B. 3264 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 3264
By: Hunter (Deuell)
Health & Human Services
5/21/2003
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, approximately one million American children potentially have
excessive levels of lead in their blood.  Without prevention or treatment,
egregiously elevated blood lead levels can result in an impaired ability
to think, concentrate, and learn.  Some believe that by educating property
owners on how to make their property lead-free or lead-safe and educating
tenants about lead poisoning, the state can protect children and reduce
the high costs of treating lead poisoning. 

H.B. 3264, titled the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act, aims to
prevent high lead levels in children by authorizing the Texas Board of
Health to implement policies and procedures to promote the elimination of
childhood lead poisoning in Texas. 

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.  Authorizes this Act to be known as the Childhood Lead
Poisoning Prevention Act. 

SECTION 2.  (a)  Provides that the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act
represents an effort by this state to prioritize education, screening, and
the overall prevention of childhood lead poisoning.  Sets forth
information about childhood lead poisoning.  

(b)  Sets forth information about lead poisoning resulting from paint. 

(c)  States that the incidence of childhood lead poisoning can be reduced
substantially without significant additional cost to the state by creating
appropriate incentives for property owners to make their properties
lead-free or lead-safe and by targeting existing state resources. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 88.001, Health and Safety Code, by adding
Subdivision (12), to define "board" as the Texas Board of Health. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Chapter 88, Health and Safety Code, by adding Section
88.0025, as follows: 

Sec. 88.0025.  CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING PREVENTION.  (a)  Authorizes the
board to implement policies and procedures to promote the elimination of
childhood lead poisoning within the state.  Authorizes the board to adopt
measures to: 

(1)  significantly reduce the incidence of childhood lead poisoning
throughout the state; 
(2)  improve public awareness of lead safety issues and educate both
property owners and tenants about practices that can reduce the incidence
of lead poisoning; and 
(3)  encourage the testing of children likely to suffer the consequences
of lead poisoning so that prompt diagnosis and treatment and the
prevention of harm are possible. 
 
[H.B. 3264 as drafted contains no further subsections for Section 88.0025.]


SECTION 5.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.