By:  Capelo (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini)                          H.B. No. 1920
	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 2003; 
May 7, 2003, read first time and referred to Committee on Health 
and Human Services; May 23, 2003, reported favorably by the 
following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 23, 2003, sent to printer.)


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to certain immunization programs.                                  
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 161, Health and Safety 
Code, is amended by adding Section 161.0095 to read as follows:
	Sec. 161.0095.  PROVIDER EDUCATION PROGRAMS.  The department 
shall develop continuing education programs for providers relating 
to immunizations and the vaccines for children program operated by 
the department under authority of 42 U.S.C. Section 1396s, as 
amended.  The department shall establish a work group to assist the 
department in developing the continuing education programs and 
materials.  The work group shall include physicians, nurses, 
department representatives, representatives of managed care 
organizations that provide health care services under Chapter 533, 
Government Code, representatives of health plan providers that 
provide health care services under Chapter 62, and members of the 
public.
	SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is 
amended by adding Section 531.063 to read as follows:
	Sec. 531.063.  VACCINES FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM PROVIDER 
ENROLLMENT AND REIMBURSEMENT. (a)  In this section, "vaccines for 
children program" means the program operated by the Texas 
Department of Health under authority of 42 U.S.C. Section 1396s, as 
amended.
	(b)  The commission shall ensure that a provider can enroll 
in the vaccines for children program on the same form the provider 
completes to apply as a Medicaid health care provider.
	(c)  The commission shall allow providers to report vaccines 
administered under the vaccines for children program to the 
immunization registry established under Section 161.007, Health 
and Safety Code, and to use the immunization registry, including 
individually identifiable information in accordance with state and 
federal law, to determine whether a child has received an 
immunization.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                           



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