HBA-JRA H.B. 1183 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1183
By: Dukes
Public Health
4/6/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas law requires five screenings to be conducted on all
newborns to test for certain hereditary conditions.  Congenital hearing
loss is estimated to occur nearly three times as often as all other
measured conditions combined, yet a screening for hearing loss is not among
the required tests.  Detection of hearing loss at birth increases the
success rate of treatment.  H.B. 1183 requires newborn children to be
screened for hearing disorders and requires the attending physician to
recommend medical care for any child with a positive screening test. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends the chapter heading to Chapter 33, Health and Safety
Code, as follows: 

CHAPTER 33.  PHENYLKETONURIA, OTHER HERITABLE DISEASES, HYPOTHYROIDISM, AND
HEARING DISORDERS 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 33.011, Health and Safety Code, to require the
person attending a newborn child to subject the child to a screening test
for hearing disorders.  Provides that the screening test for hearing
disorders must be performed by a person who has completed a training
program approved by the Texas Department of Health (TDH).  Makes conforming
changes. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 33, Health and Safety Code, by
adding Section 33.0145, as follows: 

Sec. 33.0145.  HEARING SCREENING RESULTS; FOLLOW-UP.  (a)  Requires the
person performing the screening test for hearing disorders, if the test
indicates that the newborn child may have a hearing disorder, to notify the
parents of the newborn child of the test results and submit the test
results to TDH. 

(b)  Requires TDH, if the test indicates that the newborn child may have a
hearing disorder, to recommend that the child be placed under the medical
care of a licensed physician for diagnosis and provide the name of a
consultant pediatric specialist in the child's geographic area. 

(c)  Authorizes TDH, the health authority, and the consulting pediatric
specialist to follow up a positive test by consulting with the attending
physician or with a parent of the newborn child if the child was not
attended by a physician at birth. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 33.032(a), Health and Safety Code, to authorize
TDH to provide services directly or through approved providers to
individuals of any age on the confirmation of a positive test for a hearing
disorder. 

SECTION 5.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 6.  Emergency clause.