LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 9, 2009

TO:	Honorable Lois W. Kolkhorst, Chair, House Committee on Public Health
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1672 by Crownover (Relating to the confidentiality of newborn screening information.), As Introduced

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

This bill would define any report, record, and information relating to newborn screening as confidential and not subject to subpoena or disclosure, except as provided by the bill. The records may be disclosed for purposes of diagnosis, a court order, a medical examiner conducting an autopsy on a child, and for certain public health research purposes under certain circumstances.  Reports, records and information that does not identify the child or the family of the child may be released without consent for statistical purposes, quality assurance testing, and research purposes.

 

The bill would take effect immediately upon a two-thirds vote of each house; if it does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, the bill would take effect September 1, 2009.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

537 State Health Services, Department of

LBB Staff:

JOB, CL, BM, MB