Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1680 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	S.B. No. 1680
	1	+	By: Lucio, et al. S.B. No. 1680
	2	+	(Raymond)
2	3
3	4
	5	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	6		AN ACT
5	7		relating to a task force of border health officials.
6	8		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
7	9		SECTION 1. Subtitle F, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is
8	10		amended by adding Chapter 120 to read as follows:
9	11		CHAPTER 120. TASK FORCE OF BORDER HEALTH OFFICIALS
10	12		SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
11	13		Sec. 120.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
12	14		(1) "Border region" means the area consisting of the
13	15		counties immediately adjacent to the international boundary
14	16		between the United States and Mexico.
15	17		(2) "Task force" means the Task Force of Border Health
16	18		Officials.
17	19		Sec. 120.002. SUNSET PROVISION. The task force is subject
18	20		to Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless
19	21		continued in existence as provided by that chapter, the task force
20	22		is abolished and this chapter expires September 1, 2029.
21	23		SUBCHAPTER B. POWERS AND DUTIES
22	24		Sec. 120.051. TASK FORCE; DUTIES. (a) The department
23	25		shall establish the Task Force of Border Health Officials to advise
24	26		the commissioner:
25	27		(1) on policy priorities addressing major issues
26	28		affecting the border region residents' health and health
27	29		conditions;
28	30		(2) on raising public awareness of the issues
29	31		described by Subdivision (1); and
30	32		(3) on other health issues impacting the border region
31	33		as determined by the commissioner, including:
32	34		(A) barriers to accessing health care;
33	35		(B) health problems affecting the region,
34	36		including:
35	37		(i) diabetes;
36	38		(ii) infant mortality;
37	39		(iii) heart disease and stroke;
38	40		(iv) obesity;
39	41		(v) cervical cancer; and
40	42		(vi) communicable diseases, including
41	43		tuberculosis;
42	44		(C) factors that impede access to health care,
43	45		including:
44	46		(i) socioeconomic conditions;
45	47		(ii) linguistic and cultural barriers;
46	48		(iii) low population density; and
47	49		(iv) lack of health insurance;
48	50		(D) surveillance and tracking of communicable
49	51		diseases, environmental factors, and other factors negatively
50	52		influencing health;
51	53		(E) standardization of data to ensure
52	54		compatibility with data collected by border states on both sides of
53	55		the international border with Mexico;
54	56		(F) public health infrastructure that includes
55	57		education and research institutions to train culturally competent
56	58		health care providers;
57	59		(G) establishment of local and regional public
58	60		health programs that build on local resources and maximize the use
59	61		of public dollars to address the needs of the indigent population;
60	62		and
61	63		(H) collaboration and cooperation with Mexican
62	64		counterparts of the task force at the state and federal level, and
63	65		collaboration with federal counterparts in the United States.
64	66		(b) The task force shall study and make recommendations
65	67		relating to the health problems, conditions, challenges, and needs
66	68		of the population in the border region.
67	69		(c) The task force shall submit a report of recommendations
68	70		to the commissioner for short-term and long-term border plans, as
69	71		described by Subchapter C, not later than November 1 of each
70	72		even-numbered year.
71	73		Sec. 120.052. COLLABORATION WITH OFFICE OF BORDER HEALTH.
72	74		The Office of Border Health established under Section 12.071 shall
73	75		provide staff support to the task force and any other assistance as
74	76		needed or required by the task force, if practicable.
75	77		Sec. 120.053. COMPOSITION; TERMS. (a) The task force is
76	78		composed of:
77	79		(1) the health department directors appointed under
78	80		Section 121.033 from:
79	81		(A) each county in the border region; and
80	82		(B) each municipality in the border region that
81	83		has a sister city in Mexico;
82	84		(2) two ex officio nonvoting members who are members
83	85		of the legislature:
84	86		(A) one of whom is appointed by the lieutenant
85	87		governor; and
86	88		(B) one of whom is appointed by the speaker of the
87	89		house of representatives; and
88	90		(3) additional members appointed by the commissioner.
89	91		(b) The commissioner shall designate a chair and vice chair
90	92		of the task force from among the task force members.
91	93		(c) The members appointed by the lieutenant governor and the
92	94		speaker of the house of representatives serve three-year terms.
93	95		Sec. 120.054. MEETINGS. (a) The task force shall meet at
94	96		least quarterly each fiscal year. Members may hold meetings by
95	97		conference calls and through videoconference in accordance with
96	98		Section 551.127, Government Code.
97	99		(b) Section 551.125, Government Code, applies to a meeting
98	100		held by conference call under this section, except that Section
99	101		551.125(b), Government Code, does not apply.
100	102		Sec. 120.055. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. A task force
101	103		member is not entitled to compensation or reimbursement for
102	104		expenses incurred in performing the member's duties.
103	105		SUBCHAPTER C. BORDER HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLAN
104	106		Sec. 120.101. SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM PLANS. (a) The
105	107		task force shall make recommendations to the commissioner for
106	108		short-term and long-term border health improvement plans. The
107	109		short-term plan shall identify health objectives proposed to be
108	110		accomplished before the fourth anniversary of the date the plan is
109	111		adopted. The long-term plan shall identify health objectives
110	112		proposed to be accomplished before the ninth anniversary of the
111	113		date the plan is adopted.
112	114		(b) The commissioner shall review the task force's
113	115		recommendations and, based on those recommendations, recommend
114	116		short-term and long-term border health improvement plans to the
115	117		executive commissioner, identifying specific health objectives
116	118		that may be implemented under existing law.
117	119		(c) The executive commissioner shall adopt short-term and
118	120		long-term border health improvement plans and direct the department
119	121		to implement the portions of the plans that may be implemented
120	122		within existing appropriations under existing law.
121	123		(d) Not later than September 1 of each even-numbered year,
122	124		the executive commissioner shall submit a report detailing the
123	125		actions taken by the task force. The report must include:
124	126		(1) the status of all projects and activities
125	127		involving the health issues described under Section 120.051(a)(3);
126	128		(2) the funding for the expenditures; and
127	129		(3) recommendations for legislation necessary to
128	130		implement the short-term and long-term border health improvement
129	131		plans.
130	132		Sec. 120.102. APPLICATION OF OTHER LAW. Chapter 2110,
131	133		Government Code, does not apply to the task force.
132	134		Sec. 120.103. ASSISTANCE FROM STATE AGENCIES AND POLITICAL
133	135		SUBDIVISIONS. At the request of the task force, a state agency or
134	136		political subdivision of this state may cooperate with the task
135	137		force to the greatest extent practicable to fully implement the
136	138		task force's statutory duties.
137	139		SECTION 2. (a) The commissioner of state health services,
138	140		lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives
139	141		shall appoint the members of the Task Force of Border Health
140	142		Officials established by this Act not later than October 1, 2017.
141	143		(b) The initial short-term border health improvement plan
142	144		adopted under Section 120.101, Health and Safety Code, as added by
143	145		this Act, must include a border health improvement plan for
144	146		implementation beginning not later than September 1, 2018. The
145	147		Department of State Health Services shall implement the initiatives
146	148		in the short-term border health improvement plan, as directed by
147	149		the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services
148	150		Commission, not later than September 1, 2022.
149	151		(c) The initial long-term border health improvement plan
150	152		adopted under Section 120.101, Health and Safety Code, as added by
151	153		this Act, must include a border health improvement plan for
152	154		implementation beginning not later than September 1, 2020. The
153	155		Department of State Health Services shall implement the initiatives
154	156		in the long-term border health improvement plan, as directed by the
155	157		executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission,
156	158		not later than September 1, 2027.
157	159		SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
158	160		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
159	161		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
160	162		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
161	163		Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
162		-	______________________________ ______________________________
163		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
164		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1680 passed the Senate on
165		-	May 3, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.
166		-	______________________________
167		-	Secretary of the Senate
168		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1680 passed the House on
169		-	May 24, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 73, Nays 70, three
170		-	present not voting.
171		-	______________________________
172		-	Chief Clerk of the House
173		-	Approved:
174		-	______________________________
175		-	Date
176		-	______________________________
177		-	Governor