| TO: | Honorable Dianne White Delisi, Chair, House Committee on Public Health |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB1186 by Nelson (Relating to inclusion in the immunization registry of immunization records of first responders and their immediate family members and of immunization records obtained during certain declared disasters. ), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted |
The bill adds adverse or unexpected events related to vaccinations to the list of elements contained in an immunization record. The bill requires the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to maintain, within the immunization registry, a registry of persons who receive an immunization, antiviral, or other medication administered to prepare for a potential disaster or public health emergency or in response to a declared disaster or public health emergency; the registry must track adverse reactions to these immunizations, antivirals, and other medications. The executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is required to determine by rule the period during which records related to disasters and emergencies must remain in the registry; DSHS must remove records at the end of this period unless written consent to continued inclusion is obtained.
The bill allows first responders and their immediate family members to request that a health care provider who administers an immunization to the individual to provide data elements regarding that immunization to DSHS for inclusion in the immunization registry. First responders and their immediate family members may also provide their immunization history directly to DSHS for inclusion in the immunization registry. The executive commissioner of HHSC is required to adopt rules related to immunization records of first responders and their family members.
The bill requires DSHS to develop a program for informing first responders about the immunization registry and the benefits of being included in the registry.
Unless otherwise provided, DSHS must retain information in the immunization registry until the person's death. DSHS is required to notify persons for whom immunization information is included in the registry within 180 days of their 18th birthday that the information will remain in the registry unless the person withdraws consent.
DSHS is required to consult with public health departments and appropriate health care providers to identify adult immunizations that may be necessary to respond to or prepare for a disaster or public health emergency.
It is assumed that any costs to DSHS associated with modifications to the immunization registry, developing an educational program for first responders, and notifying 18 year-olds can be absorbed within available resources.
| Source Agencies: | 537 State Health Services, Department of, 529 Health and Human Services Commission
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, KJG, CL, PP, LR
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