87R1481 EAS-D
By: Lucio S.B. No. 114
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of a border public health response
team.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 161, Health and Safety Code, is amended
by adding Subchapter X to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER X. BORDER PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE TEAM
Sec. 161.701. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Border county" means a county adjacent to the
international border with Mexico.
(2) "Disaster" has the meaning assigned by Section
418.004, Government Code. The term includes a state of disaster
declared by:
(A) the president of the United States under the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42
U.S.C. Section 5121 et seq.);
(B) the governor under Section 418.014,
Government Code; or
(C) the presiding officer of the governing body
of a political subdivision under Section 418.108, Government Code.
(3) "Response team" means the border public health
response team established under Section 161.702.
(4) "Sanitarian" has the meaning assigned by Section
1953.001, Occupations Code.
Sec. 161.702. BORDER PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE TEAM. The
department shall establish a border public health response team to
deploy in response to public health threats declared by the
commissioner and declared disasters in border counties.
Sec. 161.703. COMPOSITION OF RESPONSE TEAM. The response
team may be composed of the following members appointed by the
commissioner:
(1) an epidemiologist;
(2) a sanitarian;
(3) a nurse;
(4) a public health specialist; and
(5) any other person the commissioner considers
appropriate.
Sec. 161.704. DEPARTMENT DUTIES. (a) The department, in
consultation with the response team, shall, as necessary, enter
into memoranda of understanding with other state agencies to
develop policies, plans, and procedures to facilitate an effective
response to a declared public health threat or disaster.
(b) The department shall provide, or contract to provide,
training, equipment, and support staff to the response team to
enhance the team's response efforts, as appropriate.
Sec. 161.705. RESPONSE TEAM DUTIES. During a declared
public health threat or disaster in a border county, the response
team shall, as appropriate:
(1) assess health infrastructure and response
capabilities for the threat or disaster in a border county;
(2) develop appropriate responses for the threat or
disaster in a border county; and
(3) address language, cultural, and environmental
factors that are unique to responding to the threat or disaster in a
border county.
Sec. 161.706. FUNDING. (a) The department shall
coordinate with the commission, the office of the governor, the
federal government, and any other appropriate entity for funding to
support the response team's activities.
(b) The department may accept on behalf of the response team
a gift, grant, or donation from any source to carry out the purposes
of this subchapter.
SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2021, the Department
of State Health Services shall establish the border public health
response team as required by Subchapter X, Chapter 161, Health and
Safety Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.