By: Creighton S.B. No. 1780
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of the Texas Epidemic Public Health
Institute.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 75 Education Code is amended by adding:
SUBCHAPTER D. TEXAS EPIDEMIC PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE.
Sec. 75.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "public health reserve network" means a network of
public health professionals and community health
workers, state and local public health agencies,
healthcare organizations, university partners
throughout Texas, and other relevant organizations and
people.
(2) "Institute" means the Texas Epidemic Public Health
Institute at the University of Texas Health Science
Center at Houston.
Sec. 75.301. ESTABLISHMENT. This subchapter establishes the
Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute at the University of Texas
Health Science Center at Houston.
Sec. 75.302. ROLE AND SCOPE. (a) The Institute shall
establish and maintain a public health reserve network to protect
public health and to support pandemic and epidemic disaster
preparedness and response components of the state emergency
management plan required by Section 418.042.
(b) The Department of State Health Services shall provide the
Institute with access to relevant and timely data to perform its
duties.
SECTION 2. Section 418.042, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(16) provisions for quickly replenishing the food supplies of
area food banks or food pantries following a disaster; and
(17) provisions for protecting public health; and
(18) other necessary matter relating to disasters.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.