S.B. 739 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 739 By: Ellis, Rodney Public Health Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In 1999, the 76th Texas Legislature established a newborn hearing screening program in the State of Texas. The legislation requires that a screening test for hearing loss be administered to newborn children, and establishes a newborn hearing, tracking, and screening program. Data in the tracking system is confidential as required by law. S.B. 739 clarifies that aggregate data about performance measures and outcomes of the program is not confidential and may be disclosed. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS S.B. 739 provides that statistical or aggregated information concerning activities conducted under this chapter and that could not be used to individually identify a newborn, infant, or patient or a parent or guardian of a newborn, infant, or patient is not confidential. EFFECTIVE DATE Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2003.