HBA-NRS H.B. 3572 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3572
By: George
Public Health
3/26/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Each year thousands of individuals in the United States are diagnosed with
fatal blood-related diseases, such as leukemia, lymphoma, aplastic anemia,
and deficiencies of the immune system. A majority of such cases are treated
through bone marrow transplants, yet approximately 10,000 to 15,000
Americans each year who need a bone marrow transplant are unable to find
suitable donors. In lieu of a bone marrow transplant, umbilical cord blood,
which is rich in stem cells, may be used to treat a variety of these fatal
blood-related diseases. Unfortunately, treatment by umbilical cord blood is
not always an option because of the lack of facilities, problematic
collection procedures, and costs associated with testing, processing, and
storage. House Bill 3572 establishes a grant program for the establishment
of an umbilical cord blood bank in Texas. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the Health and Human Services
Commission in SECTION 2 and to the board in SECTIONS 2 and 3 of this bill. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 3572 requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC),
subject to available funds, to establish a grant program for the
establishment of an umbilical cord blood bank for recipients of blood and
blood components who are unrelated to the donors of the blood. The bill
requires HHSC by rule to establish eligibility criteria for awarding the
grant. In awarding the grant, the bill requires the department to consider
the ability, experience, and commitment of the grant applicant to operate
and maintain such a facility. The bill provides that a grant recipient must
enter into a contract under which the recipient agrees to operate and
maintain an unrelated donor umbilical cord blood bank for eight years and
comply with financial and reporting requirements imposed on the recipient
under board rule. The bill requires the board to adopt rules necessary to
implement the Act not later than January 1, 2002. An awarded grant is
governed by provisions regarding uniform grant and contract management and
rules adopted under these provisions. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.