79(R) HB 984 Introduced version

The bill would add Chapter 168, Health and Safety Code to establish provisions relating to the care of public school elementary and secondary school students with diabetes. The bill would require an individualized health care plan for any student who will seek care for diabetes while at school or participating in a school activity. The individual health plan would be developed by the school principal, school nurse, the student’s parent or guardian, and to the extent possible the student’s personal health care team.

The bill would ensure that at least three school personnel are trained as unlicensed diabetes care assistants (UDCAs) to assist students with routine or urgent care and that a school nurse, or at least one trained unlicensed assistant, is present on each campus during the school day. Schools would also permit students to perform self-care, including possession of diabetes supplies or equipment.

The bill would require the Texas Diabetes Council (TDC), with assistance of specified entities, to develop guidelines for training school employees who are not health care professionals to assist or care for students with diabetes. TDC may incur minimal administrative costs related to this provision.

The bill would take effect September 1, 2005 or immediately upon enactment with the necessary voting majorities and would apply beginning with the 2005-06 school year.

The bill would increase administrative costs in local school districts by a significant amount. After the initial year of implementation, the annual net impact of the bill on school districts in the aggregate would be approximately $5.6 million.

In fiscal year 2006, school districts would incur a one-time estimated cost of $1.0 million associated with the implementation of the program and development and review of individual health plans. After 2006, the annual impact related to the development and review of plans would be approximately $288,000.

The requirement that each campus have at least three unlicensed diabetes care assistants (UDCAs) might be minimized by utilizing school nurses, local department of health staff, and volunteers from the medical community to provide the training to designated school employees each year. However, if such resources are unavailable, statewide training costs would be approximately $4.0 million annually. The daily monitoring and intervention assistance for the students with diabetes would be approximately $1.3 million on an annual, statewide basis.

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION


March 28, 2005

TO:	Honorable Kent Grusendorf, Chair, House Committee on Public Education

FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board

IN RE:	HB984 by Reyna (Relating to the care of elementary and secondary school students with diabetes.), As Introduced