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.