84R3822 KKR-F
By: Ellis S.B. No. 547
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to epidemiological reports and immunization exemption
data and reports.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 81.047, Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 81.047. EPIDEMIOLOGICAL REPORTS. (a) Subject to the
confidentiality requirements of this chapter, the department shall
require epidemiological reports of disease outbreaks and of
individual cases of disease suspected or known to be of importance
to the public health, including vaccine preventable diseases. The
department shall evaluate the reports to determine the trends
involved and the nature and magnitude of the hazards.
(b) The department shall prepare and submit to the
legislature and the governor not later than December 1 of each
even-numbered year a biennial report that contains:
(1) a report of outbreaks of vaccine preventable
diseases in this state; and
(2) de-identified immunization exemption data,
including the number of persons claiming an exemption from the
immunization requirements of Section 161.004 of this code, Sections
38.001, 51.9192, and 51.933, Education Code, and Section 42.043,
Human Resources Code.
SECTION 2. Section 38.002, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (d) and (e)
to read as follows:
(a) Each public school shall keep an individual
immunization record during the period of attendance for each
student admitted. The records shall be open for inspection at all
reasonable times by the Texas Education Agency or by
representatives of local health departments or the [Texas]
Department of State Health Services.
(c) The Texas Education Agency and the [Texas] Department of
State Health Services shall develop the form for a required annual
report of the immunization status of students. The report shall be
submitted by all schools at the time and in the manner indicated in
the instructions printed on the form.
(d) Each school district shall provide the information
required by Subsection (c) for the district as a whole and for each
school campus in the district.
(e) The Department of State Health Services shall make
available to the public in electronic form, on the department's
Internet website, the required annual report of the immunization
status of students for each school district and for each school
campus, submitted under Subsection (c).
SECTION 3. Section 38.019(a), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) A school district that maintains an Internet website
shall post prominently on the website:
(1) a list, in English and Spanish, of:
(A) the immunizations required for admission to
public school by rules of the Department of State Health Services
adopted under Section 38.001;
(B) any immunizations or vaccines recommended
for public school students by the Department of State Health
Services; [and]
(C) health clinics in the district that offer the
influenza vaccine, to the extent those clinics are known to the
district; and
(D) de-identified immunization exemption data,
including the number of persons claiming an exemption from the
immunization requirements of Section 38.001, for the district as a
whole and for each school campus in the district; and
(2) a link to the Department of State Health Services
Internet website where a person may obtain information relating to
the procedures for claiming an exemption from the immunization
requirements of Section 38.001.
SECTION 4. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the Texas Education Agency shall update the form
required by Section 38.002(c), Education Code, as amended by this
Act, to comply with Section 38.002(d), Education Code, as added by
this Act.
SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016
school year.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2015.