| 1 | 1 | | 87R1480 SCL-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Lucio S.B. No. 1048 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the establishment of a sanitarian recruitment and |
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| 8 | 8 | | retention program in border counties for public health purposes. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 121, Health and Safety |
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| 11 | 11 | | Code, is amended by adding Section 121.0055 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 121.0055. SANITARIAN RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION |
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| 13 | 13 | | PROGRAM IN BORDER COUNTIES. (a) This section applies only to a |
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| 14 | 14 | | local health unit, local health department, or public health |
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| 15 | 15 | | district that is: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) located in a county adjacent to the international |
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| 17 | 17 | | border with Mexico; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | (2) affiliated with the department under Section |
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| 19 | 19 | | 121.005. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (b) To the extent money is available, the department shall |
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| 21 | 21 | | establish a program to: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (1) provide grants to local health units, local health |
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| 23 | 23 | | departments, and public health districts to improve recruitment and |
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| 24 | 24 | | retention of sanitarians registered under Chapter 1953, |
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| 25 | 25 | | Occupations Code; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2) expand opportunities for training and |
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| 27 | 27 | | registration of sanitarians to improve disease response and prevent |
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| 28 | 28 | | foodborne, waterborne, vector-borne, and zoonotic diseases. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (c) The department shall administer the grant program in |
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| 30 | 30 | | coordination with local health units, local health departments, |
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| 31 | 31 | | public health districts, and appropriate state agencies, federal |
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| 32 | 32 | | agencies, nonprofit organizations, public and private hospitals, |
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| 33 | 33 | | institutions of higher education, and other private entities. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (d) The department may award a grant under Subsection (b) |
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| 35 | 35 | | only in accordance with a contract between the department and the |
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| 36 | 36 | | grant recipient. The contract must include provisions affording |
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| 37 | 37 | | the department sufficient control to ensure the public purpose of |
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| 38 | 38 | | improved public health is accomplished and this state receives a |
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| 39 | 39 | | return benefit from the grant recipient. |
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| 40 | 40 | | (e) The department may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and |
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| 41 | 41 | | donations to operate the grant program. The department shall |
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| 42 | 42 | | coordinate with appropriate state agencies, federal agencies, |
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| 43 | 43 | | nonprofit organizations, public and private hospitals, |
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| 44 | 44 | | institutions of higher education, and other private entities in |
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| 45 | 45 | | identifying and soliciting funding to implement this section. |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 2. The Department of State Health Services is |
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| 47 | 47 | | required to implement a provision of this Act only if the |
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| 48 | 48 | | legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If |
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| 49 | 49 | | the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that |
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| 50 | 50 | | purpose, the department may, but is not required to, implement a |
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| 51 | 51 | | provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that |
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| 52 | 52 | | purpose. |
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| 53 | 53 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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