HBA-CBW S.B. 1006 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1006 By: Van de Putte Public Health 5/7/2001 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law requires licensed hospitals to take reasonable steps to test patients for hepatitis B or C following an accidental exposure of a health care worker to a patient's blood or other body fluids. However, emergency medical services personnel and other persons who render assistance and are exposed to the patient's body fluids are not included under testing requirements. Senate Bill 1006 requires a licensed hospital receiving a patient to take reasonable steps to test the patient for hepatitis B or C after the notification of exposure of personnel to a patient's blood or other body fluid and provides that the personnel or the organization that employs the personnel is responsible for paying the costs of the 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. ANALYSIS Senate Bill 1006 amends the Health and Safety Code to require a licensed hospital receiving a patient following a report of the exposure incident to take reasonable steps to test the patient for hepatitis B or hepatitis C if the report shows there is significant risk to the person exposed. The person exposed, or the organization that employs the person or for which the person works as a volunteer in connection with rendering the assistance, is responsible for paying the costs of the test. The bill requires the hospital to provide the test results to the Texas Department of Health or to the local health authority, which are responsible for following the established procedures to inform the person exposed and, if applicable, the patient regarding the test results. The bill requires the hospital to follow applicable reporting requirements. The Act applies only in a case of accidental exposure of certified emergency medical services personnel, a firefighter, a peace officer, or a first responder who renders assistance at the scene of an emergency or during transport to the hospital to blood or other body fluids of a patient who is transported to a licensed hospital. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.