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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Texas Immunization and Screening Registry. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle H, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 179 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 179. IMMUNIZATION AND SCREENING REGISTRY |
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SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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Sec. 179.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Department" means the Texas Department of State |
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Health Services. |
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(2) "Executive commissioner" means the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission. |
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(3) "Patient's legally authorized representative" |
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means: |
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(A) a parent, managing conservator, or guardian |
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of a patient, if the patient is a minor; |
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(B) a guardian of the patient, if the patient has |
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been adjudicated incompetent to manage the patient's personal |
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affairs; or |
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(C) an agent of the patient authorized under a |
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durable power of attorney for health care. |
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(4) "Payor" means an insurance company, a health |
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maintenance organization, or another organization that pays a |
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health care provider to provide health care benefits, including |
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providing immunizations or screening tests. |
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(5) "Screening test" means a rapid analytical |
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procedure to determine the need for further diagnostic evaluation. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 161.007, 161.0071, 161.0072, 161.0073, |
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161.0074, 161.0075, 161.0076, 161.008, 161.009, and 161.0105, |
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Health and Safety Code, are transferred to Chapter 179, Health and |
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Safety Code, as added by this Act, renumbered as Sections 179.051, |
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179.054, 179.055, 179.056, 179.057, 179.058, 179.059, 179.060, |
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179.061, and 179.062, designated as Subchapter B, and amended, and |
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Subchapter B is amended by adding Sections 179.052, 179.053, |
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179.0601, and 179.063, to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER B. IMMUNIZATION AND SCREENING REGISTRY |
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Sec. 179.051 [161.007]. IMMUNIZATION AND SCREENING |
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REGISTRY; REPORTS TO DEPARTMENT. (a) The department, for purposes |
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of establishing and maintaining a single repository of accurate, |
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complete, and current immunization and early childhood disease |
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screening records to be used in aiding, coordinating, and promoting |
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efficient and cost-effective [childhood] communicable disease |
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prevention and control efforts, shall establish and maintain an [a
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childhood] immunization and screening registry. The department by |
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rule shall develop guidelines to: |
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(1) protect the confidentiality of patients in |
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accordance with Section 159.002, Occupations Code; |
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(2) inform the patient or the patient's legally |
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authorized representative [a parent, managing conservator, or
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guardian of each patient] about the registry; and |
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(3) permit the patient or the patient's legally |
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authorized representative to choose to have the patient excluded |
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from [require the written consent of a parent, managing
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conservator, or guardian of a patient before any information
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relating to the patient is included in] the registry [; and
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[(4) permit a parent, managing conservator, or
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guardian to withdraw consent for the patient to be included in the
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registry]. |
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[(a-1) The written consent required by Subsection (a)(3) is
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required to be obtained only one time. The written consent is valid
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until the child becomes 18 years of age unless the consent is
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withdrawn in writing. A parent, managing conservator, or guardian
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of a child may provide the written consent by using an electronic
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signature on the child's birth certificate.] |
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(b) Except as provided by Section 179.054, the [The
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childhood] immunization and screening registry must contain |
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information on the immunization and screening history that is |
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obtained by the department under this section of each person in this |
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state until the person's death [who is younger than 18 years of age
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and for whom consent has been obtained in accordance with
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guidelines adopted under Subsection (a). The department shall
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remove from the registry information for any person for whom
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consent has been withdrawn]. The department may not retain |
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individually identifiable information about any person for whom a |
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request to be excluded from the registry has been received [consent
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has been withdrawn]. |
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(c) A payor that receives immunization or screening |
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information under Section 179.052 [data elements] from a health |
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care provider who administers an immunization to a person or |
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performs a screening test on a person younger than 18 years of age |
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shall provide the information [data elements] to the department. A |
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payor is required to provide the department with only the |
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information [data elements] the payor receives from a health care |
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provider. The information [data elements] shall be submitted in a |
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format prescribed by the department. [The department shall verify
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consent before including the reported information in the
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immunization registry.] The department may not retain individually |
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identifiable information about a person for whom a request to be |
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excluded from the registry has been received [consent cannot be
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verified]. |
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(d) A health care provider who administers an immunization |
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to or performs a screening test on a person younger than 18 years of |
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age shall provide the information required by Section 179.052 [data
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elements regarding an immunization] to the department. A health |
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care provider who administers an immunization to a person older |
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than 18 years of age may provide the information required by Section |
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179.052 to the department. The information [data elements] shall |
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be submitted in a format prescribed by the department. [The
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department shall verify consent before including the information in
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the immunization registry.] The department may not retain |
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individually identifiable information about a person for whom a |
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request to be excluded from the registry has been received [consent
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cannot be verified]. |
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(e) [The department shall provide notice to a health care
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provider that submits an immunization history for a person for whom
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consent cannot be verified. The notice shall contain instructions
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for obtaining consent in accordance with guidelines adopted under
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Subsection (a) and resubmitting the immunization history to the
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department.] |
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[(f)] The department and health care providers may use the |
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registry to provide notices by mail, telephone, personal contact, |
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or other means to a patient or the patient's legally authorized |
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representative [parent, managing conservator, or guardian] |
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regarding a patient [his or her child or ward] who is due or overdue |
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for a particular type of immunization according to the department's |
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immunization schedule or who is due or overdue for a particular |
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screening test according to the department's screening schedule or |
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in the opinion of the patient's health care provider. The notice |
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must contain instructions for the patient or the patient's legally |
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authorized representative to request that future notices not be |
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sent and to remove the patient's immunization record from the |
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registry and any other registry-related records. The notice must |
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describe the procedure to report a violation if a patient is |
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included in the registry after requesting exclusion. The |
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department shall consult with health care providers to determine |
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the most efficient and cost-effective manner of using the registry |
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to provide those notices. |
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(f) [(g)] The department shall provide instruction and |
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education to providers about the immunization and screening |
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registry provider application and enrollment process. The |
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department shall: |
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(1) initially target providers in the geographic |
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regions of the state with immunization or screening rates below the |
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state average for preschool children; and |
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(2) expedite the processing of provider applications. |
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(g) [(h)] Nothing in this section diminishes a parent's, |
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managing conservator's, or guardian's responsibility for having a |
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child immunized or screened properly, subject to Section |
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161.004(d). |
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(h) [(i)] A person, including a health care provider, a |
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payor, or an employee of the department who submits or obtains in |
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good faith immunization and screening information [data elements] |
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to or from the department in compliance with the provisions of this |
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section and any rules adopted under this section is not liable for |
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any civil damages. |
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(i) [(j)] Except as provided by Section 179.0601 [161.008], |
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information obtained by the department for the immunization and |
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screening registry is confidential and may be disclosed only with |
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the written consent of the patient or the patient's legally |
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authorized representative [child's parent, managing conservator,
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or guardian]. |
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(j) [(k)] The executive commissioner [board] shall adopt |
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rules to implement this section. |
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Sec. 179.052. REQUIRED INFORMATION. For the purposes of |
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the registry, the department shall collect: |
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(1) for a vaccine: |
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(A) the information a health care provider is |
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required to record in a medical record under 42 U.S.C. Section |
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300aa-25, including: |
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(i) the date the vaccine was administered; |
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(ii) the vaccine manufacturer and lot |
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number of the vaccine; and |
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(iii) the name, the address, and if |
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appropriate, the title of the health care provider administering |
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the vaccine; and |
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(B) information relating to any allergic |
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reaction or other contraindication to a vaccine; and |
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(2) for a screening test, only: |
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(A) the date the test was performed; |
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(B) the results of the test; |
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(C) the name, the address, and if appropriate, |
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the title of the health care provider administering the test; and |
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(D) the name and address of the laboratory |
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performing the test. |
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Sec. 179.053. TYPES OF SCREENINGS INCLUDED. (a) The |
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department shall include the results from the following screening |
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tests in the immunization and screening registry: |
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(1) a screening test required under Chapter 33; |
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(2) a hearing screening test required by Chapter 47; |
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(3) a tuberculosis screening test; and |
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(4) a blood lead test under Section 88.0025. |
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(b) The department may add to or delete from the list under |
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Subsection (a) as it considers necessary. |
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Sec. 179.054 [161.0071]. NOTICE OF RECEIPT OF REGISTRY |
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INFORMATION [DATA]; EXCLUSION FROM REGISTRY. (a) The first time |
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the department receives registry information [data] for a patient |
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[child for whom the department has received consent to be included
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in the registry, from a person other than the child's parent,
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managing conservator, or guardian,] the department shall send a |
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written notice to the patient or the patient's legally authorized |
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representative [child's parent, managing conservator, or guardian] |
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disclosing: |
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(1) that providers and payors may be sending the |
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patient's [child's] immunization and screening information to the |
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department, but the department may not keep the information if the |
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patient or the patient's legally authorized representative chooses |
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to exclude the patient from the registry; |
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(2) the information that is included in the registry; |
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(3) the persons to whom the information may be |
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released under Section 179.0601(a) [161.008(d)]; |
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(4) the purpose and use of the registry; |
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(5) the procedure to exclude a patient [child] from |
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the registry; and |
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(6) the procedure to report a violation if a patient |
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[parent, managing conservator, or guardian discovers a child] is |
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included in the registry after exclusion has been requested. |
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(b) On receipt of a written request to exclude a patient's |
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immunization and screening records from [discovering that consent
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to be included in] the registry [has not been granted], the |
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department shall exclude the patient's [child's] immunization and |
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screening records from the registry and any other registry-related |
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department record that individually identifies the patient |
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[child]. |
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(c) On receipt of a written request to exclude a patient's |
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[child's] immunization and screening records from the registry, the |
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department shall send to the patient or the patient's legally |
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authorized representative [a parent, managing conservator, or
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guardian] who makes the request a written confirmation of receipt |
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of the request for exclusion and shall exclude the patient's |
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[child's] records from the registry. |
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(d) The department commits a violation if the department |
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fails to exclude a patient's [child's] immunization and screening |
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information from the registry as required by Subsection (b) or (c). |
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(e) The department shall accept a written statement from a |
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patient or the patient's legally authorized representative |
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[parent, managing conservator, or guardian] communicating to the |
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department that a patient [child] should be excluded from the |
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registry, including a statement on the patient's [child's] birth |
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certificate, as a request for exclusion under Subsection (c). The |
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written statement may include the electronic signature on the |
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patient's [child's] birth certificate. |
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Sec. 179.055 [161.0072]. PROVIDING IMMUNIZATION AND |
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SCREENING INFORMATION TO DEPARTMENT. (a) If the patient or the |
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patient's legally authorized representative [parent, managing
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conservator, or guardian of a child] has reasonable concern that |
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the patient's [child's] health care provider is not submitting the |
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immunization and screening history to the department [and the
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parent, managing conservator, or guardian wants the child included
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in the registry], the patient or the patient's legally authorized |
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representative [parent, managing conservator, or guardian] may |
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provide the patient's [child's] immunization and screening history |
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directly to the department to be included in the immunization and |
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screening registry. |
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(b) The patient or the patient's legally authorized |
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representative [parent, managing conservator, or guardian of a
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child] may send evidence of the patient's [child's] immunization |
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and screening history to the department by facsimile transmission |
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or by mail. The evidence may include a copy of: |
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(1) the patient's [child's] medical record indicating |
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the immunization history and screening reports; |
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(2) an invoice from a health care provider for the |
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immunization or screening; or |
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(3) documentation showing that a claim for the |
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immunization or screening was paid by a payor. |
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(c) The executive commissioner [board] shall develop rules |
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to ensure that the immunization and screening history submitted by |
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a patient or the patient's legally authorized representative |
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[parent, managing conservator, or guardian] is medically verified |
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immunization and screening information. |
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Sec. 179.056 [161.0073]. REGISTRY CONFIDENTIALITY. (a) The |
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information that individually identifies a patient [child] |
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received by the department for the immunization and screening |
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registry is confidential and may be used by the department for |
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registry purposes only. |
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(b) Unless specifically authorized under this subchapter, |
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the department may not release registry information to any |
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individual or entity without the consent of the patient or the |
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patient's legally authorized representative [person or, if a minor,
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the parent, managing conservator, or guardian of the child]. |
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(c) A person required to report information to the |
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department for registry purposes or authorized to receive |
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information from the registry may not disclose the individually |
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identifiable information to any other person without written |
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consent of the patient or the patient's legally authorized |
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representative [parent, managing conservator, or guardian of the
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child], except as provided by Chapter 159, Occupations Code, or |
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Section 602.053, Insurance Code. |
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(d) Registry information is not: |
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(1) subject to discovery, subpoena, or other means of |
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legal compulsion for release to any person or entity except as |
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provided by this subchapter; or |
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(2) admissible in any civil, administrative, or |
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criminal proceeding. |
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Sec. 179.057 [161.0074]. REPORT TO LEGISLATURE. (a) The |
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department shall report to the Legislative Budget Board, the |
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governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and appropriate committees of the legislature not |
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later than September 30 of each even-numbered year. |
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(b) The department shall use the report required under |
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Subsection (a) to develop ways to increase immunization and |
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screening rates using state and federal resources. |
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(c) The report must: |
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(1) include the current immunization and screening |
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rates by geographic region of the state, where available; |
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(2) focus on the geographic regions of the state with |
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immunization and screening rates below the state average for |
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preschool children; |
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(3) describe the approaches identified to increase |
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immunization and screening rates in underserved areas and the |
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estimated cost for each; |
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(4) identify changes to department procedures needed |
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to increase immunization and screening rates; |
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(5) identify the services provided under and |
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provisions of contracts entered into by the department to increase |
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immunization and screening rates in underserved areas; |
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(6) identify performance measures used in contracts |
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described by Subdivision (5); |
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(7) include the number and type of exemptions used in |
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the past year; |
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(8) include the number of complaints received by the |
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department related to the department's failure to comply with |
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requests for exclusion of individuals from the registry; |
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(9) identify all reported incidents of discrimination |
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for requesting exclusion from the registry or for using an |
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exemption for a required immunization; |
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(10) include department recommendations about the |
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best way to use, and communicate with, local registries in the |
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state; and |
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(11) include ways to increase provider participation |
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in the registry. |
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Sec. 179.058 [161.0075]. IMMUNITY FROM LIABILITY. Except as |
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provided by Section 179.061 [161.009], the following persons |
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subject to this subchapter that act in compliance with Sections |
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179.051, 179.054, 179.056, 179.057, 179.060 [161.007, 161.0071,
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161.0073, 161.0074], and 179.0601 [161.008] are not civilly or |
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criminally liable for furnishing the information required under |
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this subchapter: |
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(1) a payor; |
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(2) a health care provider who administers |
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immunizations or screening tests; and |
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(3) an employee of the department. |
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Sec. 179.059 [161.0076]. COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW. If |
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the provisions of this subchapter [chapter] relating to the use or |
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disclosure of information in the registry are more stringent than |
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the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and Privacy |
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Standards, as defined by Section 181.001, then the use or |
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disclosure of information in the registry is governed by this |
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subchapter [chapter]. |
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Sec. 179.060 [161.008]. IMMUNIZATION RECORD. (a) An |
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immunization record is part of the immunization registry. |
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(b) An immunization record contains the: |
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(1) name and date of birth of the person immunized; |
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(2) dates of immunization; |
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(3) types of immunization administered; and |
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(4) name and address of the health care provider |
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administering the immunization. |
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(c) The department may obtain the data constituting an |
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immunization record for a patient [child] from a public health |
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district, a local health department, the patient or the patient's |
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legally authorized representative [child's parent, managing
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conservator, or guardian], a physician to the patient [child], a |
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payor, or any health care provider licensed or otherwise authorized |
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to administer vaccines. [The department shall verify consent
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before including the reported information in the immunization
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registry.] The department may not retain individually identifiable |
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information about a person for whom a request to be excluded from |
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the registry has been received [consent cannot be verified]. |
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Sec. 179.0601. RELEASE OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY DEPARTMENT. |
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(a) [(d)] The department may release the information [data] |
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constituting an immunization record for the patient [child] to any |
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entity that is described by Section 179.060(c) and [Subsection
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(c),] to a school or child care facility in which the patient |
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[child] is enrolled, and may release that information and any |
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information described by Section 179.052(2) concerning a screening |
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test [or] to a state agency having legal custody of the patient |
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[child]. |
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(b) [(e)] A patient or the patient's legally authorized |
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representative [parent, managing conservator, or legal guardian] |
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may obtain and on request to the department shall be provided with |
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all individually identifiable immunization and screening registry |
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information concerning his or her child or ward. |
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(c) [(f)] A person, including a health care provider, a |
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payor, or an employee of the department, that submits in good faith |
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[an] immunization or screening information [history or data] to or |
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obtains in good faith [an] immunization and screening information |
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[history or data] from the department in compliance with the |
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provisions of Section 179.060 and this section and any rules |
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adopted under Section 179.060 and this section is not liable for any |
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civil damages. |
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(d) [(g)] The department may release nonidentifying summary |
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statistics related to the registry that do not individually |
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identify a patient [child]. |
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(e) [(h)] The executive commissioner [board] shall adopt |
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rules to implement this section. |
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Sec. 179.061 [161.009]. PENALTIES FOR DISCLOSURE OF |
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INFORMATION. (a) A person commits an offense if the person: |
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(1) negligently releases or discloses immunization |
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and screening registry information in violation of Section |
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179.051, 179.054, 179.056, 179.060, or 179.0601 [161.007,
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161.0071, 161.0073, or 161.008]; |
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(2) fails to exclude a patient's [child's] |
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immunization or screening information in violation of Section |
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179.054 [161.0071]; or |
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(3) negligently uses information in the immunization |
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and screening registry to solicit new patients or clients or for |
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other purposes that are not associated with immunization, |
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screening, or quality-of-care purposes, unless authorized under |
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this section. |
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(b) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor. |
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Sec. 179.062 [161.0105]. LIMITATION ON LIABILITY. (a) A |
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health care provider who acts in compliance with Sections 179.051 |
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[161.007] and 179.060 [161.008] and any rules adopted under those |
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sections is not civilly or criminally liable for furnishing the |
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information required under those sections. This subsection does |
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not apply to criminal liability established under Section 179.061 |
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[161.009]. |
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(b) A person who administers a vaccination or performs a |
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screening test under a department program may be held liable only to |
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the extent the person would be liable if the person administered the |
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vaccination or performed the screening test outside the program. |
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The person is not liable for damages arising from the acts or |
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omissions of another person acting under the program or the |
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department. |
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(c) The immunity created by this section is in addition to |
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any immunity created by Sections 161.001 and 179.051(i) |
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[161.007(g)]. |
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Sec. 179.063. RULES. The executive commissioner shall |
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adopt rules necessary to carry out the registry. |
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SECTION 3. Section 531.064(c), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) The commission shall allow providers to report vaccines |
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administered under the vaccines for children program to the |
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immunization registry established under Section 179.051 [161.007], |
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Health and Safety Code, and to use the immunization registry, |
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including individually identifiable information in accordance with |
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state and federal law, to determine whether a child has received an |
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immunization. |
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SECTION 4. Section 161.0001(1), Health and Safety Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |