By: Guillen H.B. No. 4015
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the Rita Littlefield Chronic Kidney Disease Centralized
Resource Center established within the Department of State Health
Services.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle D, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 83A to read as follows:
CHAPTER 83A. RITA LITTLEFIELD CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE CENTRALIZED
RESOURCE CENTER
Sec. 83A.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "resource
center" means the Rita Littlefield Chronic Kidney Disease
Centralized Resource Center established under this chapter.
Sec. 83A.002. ESTABLISHMENT OF RESOURCE CENTER. The Rita
Littlefield Chronic Kidney Disease Centralized Resource Center is
established within the department to serve as a centralized system
through which persons may request and obtain information on chronic
kidney disease and related illnesses, including each level of
kidney disease and end stage renal disease.
Sec. 83A.003. ADMINISTRATION OF RESOURCE CENTER. (a) The
department shall administer the resource center in accordance with
this chapter.
(b) The department shall structure and operate the resource
center in a manner that provides a comprehensive approach for
readily accessing information on and resources for chronic kidney
disease and related illnesses and registering in a clinical
registry and trial network, including each level of kidney disease
and end stage renal disease. The approach must allow individuals to
request, obtain and register and to directly access aggregated
information on:
(1) chronic kidney disease awareness, prevention, and
professional education opportunities, including:
(A) awareness campaigns for chronic kidney
disease and related illnesses;
(B) information on accessing free screenings for
chronic kidney disease and related illnesses;
(C) professional resources and continuing
education opportunities for health care providers who treat
patients with chronic kidney disease or related illnesses;
(D) establish and maintain a kidney Health
Clinical Registry and Trial Network so that patients and extended
family members with end stage renal disease or chronic kidney
disease can register themselves to receive educational information
and opportunities to engage in clinical trials modified to their
chronic kidney disease stage; and
(E) information on chronic kidney disease
partners, including chronic kidney disease patient advocates,
dialysis professionals, health care providers, researchers,
manufacturers, and other appropriate persons;
(2) patient and family resources, including:
(A) educational resources containing general and
specific chronic kidney disease information;
(B) resources containing information on chronic
kidney disease prevention and early detection of chronic kidney
disease and related illnesses;
(C) nutritional and metabolism information for
individuals with chronic kidney disease and related illnesses;
(D) resources appropriately tailored to provide
information on chronic kidney disease and related illnesses to
individuals within groups that experience health disparities,
including racial minorities;
(E) directories for physicians who specialize in
kidney health; and
(F) programs through which an individual may
obtain a kidney donation or be placed on a kidney donation list; and
(3) resources on chronic kidney disease treatment
options and modalities, including:
(A) kidney donations and kidney transplantation
initiatives;
(B) deceased and living organ donation programs
and initiatives;
(C) organ recipient registries;
(D) treatment options for chronic kidney disease
and end stage renal disease;
(E) financial assistance for obtaining treatment
for chronic kidney disease or related illnesses; and
(F) options for receiving treatment for chronic
kidney disease or related illnesses through the use of telehealth
or telemedicine medical services, as defined by Section 111.001,
Occupations Code.
(c) The department shall ensure information provided by the
resource center is available in both English and Spanish.
Sec. 83A.004. INTERNET WEBSITE. In collaboration with the
Chronic Kidney Disease Task Force established under Chapter 83, the
department shall establish and the resource center shall maintain
an Internet website through which resource center employees and
members of the public may directly communicate and exchange
information on chronic kidney disease and related illnesses.
Sec. 83A.005. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The department
may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source
to implement this chapter.
SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the Department of State Health Services shall
establish the Rita Littlefield Chronic Kidney Disease Centralized
Resource Center required by Chapter 83A, Health and Safety Code, as
added by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.