BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 467
79R5446 YDB-D By: Lucio, Hinojosa
AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, the Border Health Office is authorized to conduct acanthosis nigrican (AN) screenings on school children during the regular screenings for vision, hearing, and scoliosis. The existing program detects Type 2 diabetes in children through the identification of AN (dark marks found on the neck and/or underarms, as well as other parts of the body); however, body mass index (BMI) is now the focal point of the measurement for high-risk for developing diabetes for children in the ninety-fifth percentile of the BMI.
The BMI program is operated by the Border Health Office of The University of Texas Pan American (office) and is the most comprehensive risk-factor detection program in Texas, serving as a model for California and other parts of the nation. The program educates, trains, and certifies school nurses to become proficient in conducting the screenings, which will now be assessments for Type 2 diabetes. So far, over 5,000 school nurses have been trained and certified to conduct AN screenings in over 6,500 schools in Texas and have reached 700,000 children thus far. In addition to the BMI, children will be assessed for additional risk factors such as AN and high blood pressure.
S.B. 467 provides that BMI, rather than AN screenings, will be used as the primary identifying factor for detecting Type 2 diabetes in children.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority previously granted to the executive council advising the Texas-Mexico Border Health Coordination Office of the University of Texas Pan-American is rescinded and expressly granted to the Border Health Office of The University of Texas-Pan American in SECTION 3 (Section 95.002, Health and Safety Code, as added by Chapter 1465, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001) of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends the heading to Chapter 95, Health and Safety Code, as added by Chapter 1465, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, to read as follows:
CHAPTER 95. RISK ASSESSMENT FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES
SECTION 2. Amends Section 95.001(3), Health and Safety Code, as added by Chapter 1465, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, to redefine "office."
SECTION 3. Amends Sections 95.002-95.004, Health and Safety Code, as added by Chapter 1465, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, as follows:
Sec. 95.002. New heading: TYPE 2 DIABETES EDUCATION AND RISK ASSESSMENT PROGRAM. (a) Requires the Border Health Office of The University of Texas Pan-American (office) to administer a risk assessment program for Type 2 diabetes, rather an acanthosis nigricans screening program, in accordance with this chapter. Makes conforming changes.
(b) Requires the office, rather than the executive council advising the office, by rule to coordinate the risk assessment for Type 2 diabetes of individuals who attend public schools in this state or private schools located in certain Texas Education Agency Regional Education Service Centers. Authorizes the office to coordinate the risk assessment of individuals who attend private schools in other regional education service centers in this state as determined by the office. Makes a conforming change.
(c) Makes a conforming change.
(d) Provides that the risk assessment for Type 2 diabetes should identify students with certain health-related characteristics. Makes a conforming change.
(e) Makes conforming changes.
(f) Makes a conforming change.
(g) Requires the office, in collaboration with public and private health-related organizations, to provide information on obesity and Type 2 diabetes to physicians licensed in this state who provide medical care to children.
Sec. 95.003. New heading: COMPLIANCE WITH RISK ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS. (a) Makes conforming changes.
(b) Makes conforming changes.
(c) Makes conforming changes.
Sec. 95.004. RECORDS; REPORTS. (a) Makes conforming changes.
(b) Makes conforming changes.
(c) Makes a conforming change.
(d) Requires the report to include certain health-related information in regard to the development of Type 2 diabetes and instructions to help the individual or family receive evaluation and intervention by the school district or by a physician or health care provider. Makes conforming changes.
(e) Requires the report, for each individual identified as being at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, to indicate certain information about the individual. Makes a conforming change.
(f) Reletters subsection and subsequent subsections accordingly. Requires the annual report required under Subsection (e) to be submitted electronically on the web-based system developed by the office for the purpose of this chapter or on a form prescribed by the office in accordance with the office's rules. Makes conforming changes.
(g) Makes conforming changes.
SECTION 4. Repealers: Sections 95.001(2) (relating to the definition of "executive council") and (6) (relating to the definition of "screening test"), Health and Safety Code, as added by Chapter 1465, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session 2001.
SECTION 5. Effective date: September 1, 2005.