Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1495 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R4345 AJZ-D
2	2	By: Davis of Harris H.B. No. 1495
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to authorizing the electronic transmission of certain
8	8	communications related to the prevention of communicable diseases.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 81, Health and Safety
11	11	Code, is amended by adding Section 81.012 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 81.012. E-MAIL DELIVERY. Any documents required to be
13	13	delivered in person or sent by registered or certified mail under
14	14	this chapter may be sent by e-mail with a read receipt requested.
15	15	SECTION 2. Sections 81.083(c) and (l), Health and Safety
16	16	Code, are amended to read as follows:
17	17	(c) An order under this section must be in writing and be
18	18	delivered personally, [or] by registered or certified mail, or by
19	19	e-mail with a read receipt requested to the individual or to the
20	20	individual's parent, legal guardian, or managing conservator if the
21	21	individual is a minor.
22	22	(l) An order under Subsection (k) must be in writing and be
23	23	delivered personally, [or] by registered or certified mail, or by
24	24	e-mail with a read receipt requested to each member of the group,
25	25	or the member's parent, legal guardian, or managing conservator if
26	26	the member is a minor. If the name, address, and county of
27	27	residence of any member of the group is unknown at the time the
28	28	order is issued, the department or health authority must publish
29	29	notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the county that
30	30	includes the area of the suspected exposure and any other county in
31	31	which the department or health authority suspects a member of the
32	32	group resides. The notice must contain the following information:
33	33	(1) that the department or health authority has
34	34	reasonable cause to believe that a group of individuals is ill with,
35	35	has been exposed to, or is the carrier of a communicable disease;
36	36	(2) the suspected time and place of exposure to the
37	37	disease;
38	38	(3) a copy of any orders under Subsection (k);
39	39	(4) instructions to an individual to provide the
40	40	individual's name, address, and county of residence to the
41	41	department or health authority if the individual knows or
42	42	reasonably suspects that the individual was at the place of the
43	43	suspected exposure at the time of the suspected exposure;
44	44	(5) that the department or health authority may
45	45	request that an application for court orders under Subchapter G be
46	46	filed for the group, if applicable; and
47	47	(6) that a criminal penalty applies to an individual
48	48	who:
49	49	(A) is a member of the group; and
50	50	(B) knowingly refuses to perform or allow the
51	51	performance of the control measures in the order.
52	52	SECTION 3. Section 81.084(b), Health and Safety Code, is
53	53	amended to read as follows:
54	54	(b) The department or health authority shall send notice of
55	55	its action by registered or certified mail, [or] by personal
56	56	delivery, or by e-mail with a read receipt requested to the person
57	57	who owns or controls the property. If the property is land or a
58	58	structure or an animal or other property on the land, the department
59	59	or health authority shall also post the notice on the land and at a
60	60	place convenient to the public in the county courthouse. If the
61	61	property is infected or contaminated as a result of a public health
62	62	disaster, the department or health authority is not required to
63	63	provide notice under this subsection.
64	64	SECTION 4. Section 81.155(b), Health and Safety Code, is
65	65	amended to read as follows:
66	66	(b) A copy of the application and the written notice shall
67	67	be delivered in person, [or] sent by certified mail, or sent by
68	68	e-mail with a read receipt requested to:
69	69	(1) the person's parent, if the person is a minor;
70	70	(2) the person's appointed guardian, if the person is
71	71	the subject of a guardianship; or
72	72	(3) each managing and possessory conservator, that has
73	73	been appointed for the person.
74	74	SECTION 5. Subchapter G, Chapter 81, Health and Safety
75	75	Code, is amended by adding Section 81.213 to read as follows:
76	76	Sec. 81.213. DIGITAL OR FAXED SIGNATURE. For the purposes
77	77	of this subchapter, a digital signature, as defined by Section
78	78	166.002, or a faxed signature shall have the same force and effect
79	79	as the use of a manual signature.
80	80	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.