HBA-MPM H.C.R. 279 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.C.R. 279 By: Capelo Public Health 5/10/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The ImmTrac Registry (registry) is a statewide immunization registry created as part of a Texas Department of Health (TDH) initiative to increase vaccination coverage for Texas children. The registry contains records of 4.2 million children and 30.5 million immunization records and is designed to provide accurate, complete, and current immunization records to aid, coordinate, and promote efficient and cost-effective prevention and control of childhood communicable diseases. Under current law, TDH is responsible for implementing and enforcing the registry to provide accurate immunization records and is required to adopt guidelines to protect the confidentiality of patients and inform the parents or guardians of each patient about the registry. Current law also requires health care providers who administer immunizations to persons under 18 years of age or insurance companies or health maintenance organizations that pay for or reimburse claims for the costs of such immunizations to provide the immunization histories to TDH for the registry. However, the registry can further its goal only if all statutory provisions are fully implemented and enforced and all entities that are required to provide immunization histories to TDH are made aware of and comply with reporting requirements. House Concurrent Resolution 279 directs TDH to adopt and enforce rules for the registry to ensure that health care providers or health care insurers provide the immunization histories of persons younger than 18 years of age to TDH so that the immunization records the registry contains are accurate, complete, and current. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Department of Health in this resolution. ANALYSIS House Concurrent Resolution 279 directs the Texas Department of Health to comply with current law by adopting and enforcing rules for the ImmTrac Registry to ensure that health care providers or health care insurers provide the immunization histories of persons younger than 18 years of age to TDH so that the immunization records in the registry are the most accurate, complete, and current records available.