Suspending limitations on conference committee
jurisdiction, H.B. No. 1126 (Uresti/Madla)
By: Madla S.R. No. 1082
SENATE RESOLUTION
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Texas, 79th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2005, That Senate Rule 12.03 be
suspended in part as provided by Senate Rule 12.08 to enable the
conference committee appointed to resolve the differences on
House Bill 1126 (emergency medical services vehicles and
personnel and the collection and use of certain health-related
data) to consider and take action on the following matter:
Senate Rule 12.03(4) is suspended to permit the committee
to add the following new SECTIONs to read as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 104.042(e), Health and Safety Code,
is amended to read as follows:
(e) Data received by the department under this section
containing information identifying specific patients [persons or
health care facilities] is confidential, is not subject to
disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code, and may not be
released unless the [all identifying] information identifying
the patient is removed. This subsection does not authorize the
release of information that is confidential under Chapter 108.
SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 104, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 104.044 to read as follows:
Sec. 104.044. SORTING COLLECTED DATA. (a) The
department shall compile the health data collected under this
subchapter and organize the results, to the extent possible,
according to the following geographic areas:
(1) the Texas-Mexico border region;
(2) each public health region;
(3) rural areas;
(4) urban areas;
(5) each county; and
(6) the state.
(b) Health data released under this subchapter must be
released in accordance with the way it is compiled under this
section.
SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 191, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 191.008 to read as follows:
Sec. 191.008. SORTING COLLECTED DATA. (a) The
department shall compile the information relating to births,
deaths, and fetal deaths collected under this chapter and
organize the results, to the extent possible, according to the
following geographic areas:
(1) the Texas-Mexico border region;
(2) each public health region;
(3) rural areas;
(4) urban areas;
(5) each county; and
(6) the state.
(b) The department may release the information relating
to births, deaths, and fetal deaths in accordance with the way it
is compiled under this section.
SECTION 8. The change in law made by this Act to Chapters
104 and 191, Health and Safety Code, applies only to the
furnishing of data under Chapters 104 and 191, Health and Safety
Code, or a rule adopted under that chapter that is originally
required to be furnished on or after the effective date of this
Act. The furnishing of data originally required to be furnished
before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law as it
existed immediately before that date, and that law is continued
in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 9. The Department of State Health Services shall
consult with a group of affected persons and entities to define
rural and urban areas for purposes of Sections 104.044 and
191.008, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, including:
(1) individuals with expertise in rural health
services research, epidemiology, rural public health services
delivery, demography, health planning, and large data sets; and
(2) representatives from universities, the
Department of State Health Services, the Office of Rural
Community Affairs, area health education centers, and local and
county health departments.
Explanation: The changes are necessary to require the
Department of State Health Services to compile and organize
certain health and vital statistics related data by region, and
to protect the confidentiality of the data collected.
_______________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on May 29, 2005, by
the following vote: Yeas 31,
Nays 0.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate