| TO: | Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services |
| FROM: | John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB438 by Lindsay (Relating to disease control programs to reduce the risk of certain communicable diseases.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Health and Safety Code to allow local health authorities, or organization that contact with local governmental entities to establish a disease control program for the purpose of exchanging new hypodermic needles and syringes for used ones; offer education on transmission and prevention of HIV, Hepatitis B virus and Hepatitis C virus; assist program clients to obtain health and substance abuse treatment services.
The bill would allow the programs and local government entities to charge participants a fee for each hypodermic needle or syringe (not to exceed 150 percent of the actually cost of the needle or syringe). The bill would require programs and local governmental entities authorized under this legislation that choose to operate a program to provide information to the Texas Department of Health (TDH) on the effectiveness of the program and its impact on reducing the spread of communicable diseases. The bill also would authorize the distribution of needles and syringes by a licensed wholesale distributor to organizations authorized under this legislation to receive them. Operators of organizations who exchange needles and syringes would be required to properly store them; and secure the dispose of them in accordance with established TDH Board rules.
TDH indicates that the bill would have no significant impact on the agency's operations.
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Local health authorities and associated organizations would incur minimal costs to prepare annual reports to the Texas Department of Health on the effectiveness of the program. There would also be costs associated with purchasing hypodermic needles or syringes, which would be offset by fees charged to participants in the program.
| Source Agencies: | 501 Department of Health
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| LBB Staff: | JK, KF, EB, KG
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