BILL ANALYSIS
By: McCall
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Under current law, persons who stop and render aid in an emergency situation can not obtain information regarding a possible exposure of a reportable disease acquired while providing emergency care. Emergency personnel, peace officers, and fire fighters are currently informed by hospitals and local health authorities in situations where they may be exposed to a reportable disease. C.S.H.B. 162 would allow hospitals or local health authorities to notify such persons.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Executive Commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 1 (Section 81.048, Health and Safety Code) of this bill.
ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 162 amends the Health and Safety Code to state that a hospital or a local health authority is authorized to notify individuals of possible exposure of a reportable disease that stop and render aid in an emergency situation and could have contracted the reportable disease from the injured person.
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The substitute deletes the "shall" language in line 9 and inserts "may" language.
The substitute also gives rulemaking authority to the Executive Commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission instead of to the Texas Board of Health.