S.B. 401 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 401 By: Van de Putte Public Health Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, licensed hospitals are required to test patients for hepatitis B or C following accidental exposure of a health care worker to a patient's blood or other body fluids. As proposed, this bill clarifies that in the case of accidental exposure of a health care worker, the employing organization or the organization for which the person works as a volunteer is responsible for paying the cost of the test, not the person exposed. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 81.095(b), Health and Safety Code, to delete language referencing the person exposed as a person responsible for paying the costs of a test for hepatitis B or hepatitis C. SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003. EFFECTIVE DATE Upon passage, or, if this Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2003.