Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1124 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	By: Lucio, ~~et al.~~ S.B. No. 1124
2		-	~~(Guerra)~~
	1	+	By: Lucio, Hinojosa S.B. No. 1124
	2	+	Zaffirini
3	3
4	4
5	5		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6		AN ACT
7	7		relating to establishment of a border public health response team.
8	8		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9		SECTION 1. Chapter 161, Health and Safety Code, is amended
10	10		by adding Subchapter X to read as follows:
11	11		SUBCHAPTER X. BORDER PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE TEAM
12	12		Sec. 161.701. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
13	13		(1) "Border county" means a county adjacent to the
14	14		international border with Mexico.
15	15		(2) "Disaster" has the meaning assigned by Section
16	16		418.004, Government Code. The term includes a state of disaster
17	17		declared by:
18	18		(A) the president of the United States under the
19	19		Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42
20	20		U.S.C. Section 5121 et seq.);
21	21		(B) the governor under Section 418.014,
22	22		Government Code; or
23	23		(C) the presiding officer of the governing body
24	24		of a political subdivision under Section 418.108, Government Code.
25	25		(3) "Response team" means the border public health
26	26		response team established under Section 161.702.
27	27		(4) "Sanitarian" has the meaning assigned by Section
28	28		1953.001, Occupations Code.
29	29		Sec. 161.702. BORDER PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE TEAM. The
30	30		department shall establish a border public health response team to
31	31		deploy in response to public health threats declared by the
32	32		commissioner and declared disasters in border counties.
33	33		Sec. 161.703. COMPOSITION OF RESPONSE TEAM. The response
34	34		team may be composed of the following members appointed by the
35	35		commissioner:
36	36		(1) an epidemiologist;
37	37		(2) a sanitarian;
38	38		(3) a nurse;
39	39		(4) a public health specialist; and
40	40		(5) any other person the commissioner considers
41	41		appropriate.
42	42		Sec. 161.704. DEPARTMENT DUTIES. (a) The department, in
43	43		consultation with the response team, shall, as necessary, enter
44	44		into memoranda of understanding with other state agencies to
45	45		develop policies, plans, and procedures to facilitate an effective
46	46		response to a declared public health threat or disaster.
47	47		(b) The department shall provide, or contract to provide,
48	48		training, equipment, and support staff to the response team to
49	49		enhance the team's response efforts, as appropriate.
50	50		Sec. 161.705. RESPONSE TEAM DUTIES. During a declared
51	51		public health threat or disaster in a border county, the response
52	52		team shall, as appropriate:
53	53		(1) assess health infrastructure and response
54	54		capabilities for the threat or disaster in a border county;
55	55		(2) develop appropriate responses for the threat or
56	56		disaster in a border county; and
57	57		(3) address language, cultural, and environmental
58	58		factors that are unique to responding to the threat or disaster in a
59	59		border county.
60	60		Sec. 161.706. FUNDING. (a) The department shall
61	61		coordinate with the commission, the office of the governor, the
62	62		federal government, and any other appropriate entity for funding to
63	63		support the response team's activities.
64	64		(b) The department may accept on behalf of the response team
65	65		a gift, grant, or donation from any source to carry out the purposes
66	66		of this subchapter.
67	67		SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2019, the Department
68	68		of State Health Services shall establish the border public health
69	69		response team as required by Subchapter X, Chapter 161, Health and
70	70		Safety Code, as added by this Act.
71	71		SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.