H.B. No. 1097
AN ACT
relating to the birth defects monitoring program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 87.021, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection
(f) to read as follows:
(a) The board shall [may] establish in the department a
program to:
(1) identify and investigate certain birth defects in
children; and
(2) maintain a central registry of cases of birth
defects.
(c) The board and the department shall design the program so
that the program will:
(1) provide information to identify risk factors and
causes of birth defects;
(2) provide information on other possible causes of
birth defects;
(3) provide for the development of strategies to
prevent birth defects;
(4) provide for interview studies about the causes of
birth defects;
(5) together with other departmental programs,
contribute birth defects data to a central registry;
(6) provide for the appointment of authorized agents
to collect birth defects information; and
(7) provide for the active [, not passive,] collection
of birth defects information.
(f) In addition to providing for the active collection of
birth defects information under Subsection (c)(7), the board and
the department may design the program to also provide for the
passive collection of that information.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2003.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1097 was passed by the House on May 2,
2003, by the following vote: Yeas 126, Nays 0, 2 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 1097 on May 30, 2003, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 0,
2 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1097 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 28, 2003, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor