C.S.S.B. 1148 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS C.S.S.B. 1148 By: Shapleigh Public Health Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, hospitals and birthing centers are not required to provide immunization information to a child's mother or guardian following the child's birth. C.S.S.B. 1148 requires hospitals and birthing centers to provide an immunization pamphlet to each child's parent or guardian following the child's birth and before the child is discharged. 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 C.S.S.B. 1148 requires the birthing center or hospital, before a newborn child is discharged after birth from a birthing center licensed under Chapter 244 (Birthing Centers) or a hospital, to provide to the child's parent, managing conservator, or guardian an informational pamphlet describing immunizations available to protect the child from disease. Requires a physician or certified nurse-midwife that attends the birth of a child outside of a birthing center or hospital to provide the pamphlet to the child's parent, managing conservator, or guardian as soon as practicable following the birth of the child. Requires an employee or volunteer of the birthing center or hospital, the physician, the certified nurse-midwife, or an employee or volunteer on behalf of the physician or certified nurse-midwife to personally deliver the pamphlet to the child's parent, managing conservator, or guardian. The Texas Department of Health is required to develop the informational pamphlet and it must describe various topics. TDH shall distribute the informational pamphlet available to hospitals having a maternity unit, birthing center, physicians, and certified nurse-midwives. C.S.S.B. 1148 requires the Office of Early Childhood Coordination of the Health and Human Services Commission to coordinate funding for the development, publication, and distribution of the informational pamphlet. Authorizes the development, publication, and distribution of the pamphlet to be funded through means other than appropriations, which may include gifts and grants and sale of sponsorship or advertising. Requires TDH, not later than January 1, 2004, shall make available the informational pamphlet described by Section 161.0045, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act. Authorizes TDH, in developing the informational pamphlet, to consider material contained in informational pamphlets previously prepared by TDH and use information previously compiled and available to TDH. EFFECTIVE DATE Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2003. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The substitute allows a hospital or birthing center to use an alternative pamphlet, rather than the TDH pamphlet, that provides basic immunization information and moves the requirement that a hospital or birthing center show compliance.