BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3405

By: Johnson, Jarvis

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Sickle cell disease, which results from a gene mutation that causes red blood cells to become fragile and break down rapidly, affects a small fraction of the population and is most common in persons of African descent. As a result, it has not received the attention of other diseases within the medical community or the general population. Recognizing these factors, the Sickle Cell Advisory Committee to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission recommended efforts to overcome the lack of awareness. H.B. 3405 seeks to respond to those recommendations and raise awareness of this disease by creating a task force to identify and report on the effectiveness, feasibility, continuation, implementation, and impact of sickle cell disease awareness campaigns.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3405 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission, in collaboration with the members appointed to the Newborn Screening Advisory Committee to represent the sickle cell community, to establish and maintain a task force to raise awareness of sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait. The bill sets out the task force's composition and provides for its administration and operation. The bill requires the task force to study and advise the Department of State Health Services on implementing the recommendations made in the 2018 Sickle Cell Advisory Committee Report published by the Sickle Cell Advisory Committee or any other report the executive commissioner determines is appropriate. The bill authorizes the executive commissioner to assign other tasks to the task force. The bill requires the task force, beginning in 2020, to prepare and submit to the governor and the legislature not later than December 1 of each year an annual written report that summarizes the task force's work and includes any recommended actions or policy changes endorsed by the task force.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.