87R1478 SRA-D
By: Lucio S.B. No. 1050
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to health professional continuing education to address
communicable and other diseases in border counties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 81, Health and Safety Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter K to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER K. HEALTH PROFESSIONAL CONTINUING EDUCATION TO ADDRESS
COMMUNICABLE AND OTHER DISEASES IN BORDER COUNTIES
Sec. 81.451. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Community health worker" has the meaning assigned
by Section 48.001.
(2) "Health professional" means an individual whose:
(A) vocation or profession is directly or
indirectly related to the maintenance of the health of another
individual; and
(B) duties require a specified amount of formal
education and may require a special examination, certificate or
license, or membership in a regional or national association.
(3) "HIV" means human immunodeficiency virus.
Sec. 81.452. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. This subchapter
applies only to a county adjacent to the international border with
Mexico.
Sec. 81.453. HEALTH PROFESSIONAL CONTINUING EDUCATION. (a)
To the extent funds are available, the department, in collaboration
with health authorities, local health departments, and public
health districts, shall provide continuing education designed to
reduce the incidence of communicable and other diseases in counties
described by Section 81.452 to:
(1) community health workers;
(2) health professionals; and
(3) other employees of a local health department or
public health district who would benefit from the education.
(b) The continuing education may address:
(1) the diagnosis and treatment of communicable and
other diseases, including:
(A) tuberculosis, tuberculosis meningitis,
multidrug resistant tuberculosis, and tuberculosis and HIV
coinfections;
(B) sexually transmitted diseases and HIV; and
(C) liver diseases;
(2) methods for increasing pediatric and adult
immunization rates;
(3) strategies for improving health care system
operations related to public health, including identifying,
monitoring, tracking, and responding to communicable and other
diseases occurring in the counties described by Section 81.452; and
(4) any other matter the department determines will
assist health professionals, local health departments, and public
health districts with addressing public health challenges in those
counties.
(c) The department shall identify and assess the
accessibility of continuing education resources and programs for
local health departments in counties described by Section 81.452
that may provide the continuing education described by this
section.
Sec. 81.454. FUNDING. (a) The department may solicit or
accept gifts, grants, or donations to fund health professional
continuing education under this subchapter.
(b) The department shall collaborate with state and federal
agencies, nonprofit organizations, public and private hospitals,
institutions of higher education, and other relevant private sector
organizations to identify, apply for, and solicit sources of
funding for health professional continuing education under this
subchapter.
SECTION 2. The Department of State Health Services is
required to implement a provision of this Act only if the
legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If
the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
purpose, the department may, but is not required to, implement a
provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that
purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.