BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1816

By: Howard, Charlie

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Bacterial meningitis is often contracted by young people early in their college careers and is responsible for numerous deaths in Texas.  Recent legislation requires that all incoming college freshmen in the state who intend to live on campus receive the bacterial meningitis vaccination. The legislation did not address those students who do not intend to live on campus but who, nevertheless, are still susceptible to the illness.

H.B. 1816 expands the requirements relating to bacterial meningitis vaccinations to include all first-time students of institutions of higher education, regardless of whether the student intends to live on campus.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1816 amends the Education Code to expand the applicability of requirements relating to bacterial meningitis vaccinations for a first-time student of an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education by removing the specification that such requirements apply only to a student who resides in, or has applied for on-campus housing and has been approved to reside in, an on-campus dormitory or other on-campus student housing facility at the institution. The bill establishes that a certificate required to be signed by a health practitioner and provided to an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education by a first-time student of the institution or the student's parent or guardian is required to evidence that a student has received a bacterial meningitis vaccination dose or booster during the five-year period preceding the deadline established by rules adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, rather than evidencing that the student has been vaccinated against bacterial meningitis.

H.B. 1816 changes the deadline required to be established by coordinating board rule by which a student who is required to comply with bacterial meningitis vaccination requirements must have received the vaccination from the date the student initially moves into an on-campus dormitory or other on-campus student housing facility at an institution to the 10th day before the first day of the semester or other term in which the student initially enrolls. The bill limits applicability of its provisions to first-time students enrolling in public or private or independent institutions of higher education in Texas on or after January 1, 2012.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2011.