HBA-MPM S.B. 1833 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1833
By: Jackson
Public Health
5/2/1999
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Texas Department of Health (TDH) regulates the disposal of
biomedical waste in home health and community support service agencies.
S.B. 1833 requires an agency that generates special or medical waste while
providing home health services in a client's place or residence or the
agency's office location to comply with TDH rules relating to the
disposition of special medical waste. 

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 Chapter 142A, Health and Safety Code, by adding
Section142.020, as follows:  

Sec. 142.020.  DISPOSAL OF SPECIAL OR MEDICAL WASTE.  Requires that a home
and community support services agency (agency) that generates special or
medical waste while providing home health services must dispose of the
waste in the same manner that the agency disposes special or medical waste
generated in the agency's office location.  Requires an agency to provide
both verbal and written instructions to the agency's client regarding
proper procedure for disposing of sharps. Sets forth instruments considered
to be sharps, such as certain hypodermic needles, syringes, scalpel blades,
razors, and scissors.  

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.