S.B. No. 1780
AN ACT
relating to the protection of public health in this state,
including through the establishment of the Texas Epidemic Public
Health Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center
at Houston.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 61.003(6), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(6) "Other agency of higher education" means The
University of Texas System, System Administration; The University
of Texas at El Paso Museum; Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute
at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; The
Texas A&M University System, Administrative and General Offices;
Texas A&M AgriLife Research; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service;
Rodent and Predatory Animal Control Service (a part of the Texas A&M
AgriLife Extension Service); Texas A&M Engineering Experiment
Station (including the Texas A&M Transportation Institute); Texas
A&M Engineering Extension Service; Texas A&M Forest Service; Texas
Division of Emergency Management; Texas Tech University Museum;
Texas State University System, System Administration; Sam Houston
Memorial Museum; Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum; Cotton
Research Committee of Texas; Texas Water Resources Institute; Texas
A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory; and any other unit,
division, institution, or agency which shall be so designated by
statute or which may be established to operate as a component part
of any public senior college or university, or which may be so
classified as provided in this chapter.
SECTION 2. Chapter 75, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter D to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER D. TEXAS EPIDEMIC PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE
Sec. 75.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Board" means the board of regents of The
University of Texas System.
(2) "Health science center" means The University of
Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
(3) "Institute" means the Texas Epidemic Public Health
Institute.
Sec. 75.302. ESTABLISHMENT. The board shall establish and
maintain the Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute at the health
science center.
Sec. 75.303. ROLE AND SCOPE. The institute shall establish
and maintain a public health reserve network of public health
professionals, community health workers, state and local public
health agencies, health care organizations, universities
throughout the state, and other relevant entities and persons for
the purpose of coordinating efforts to:
(1) protect public health in this state; and
(2) support pandemic and epidemic disaster
preparedness and response components of the state emergency
management plan required by Section 418.042, Government Code.
Sec. 75.304. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The administration of
the institute is under the direction of the chancellor of The
University of Texas System and the board through the president of
the health science center.
(b) The Department of State Health Services shall provide
the institute with access to relevant and timely data necessary for
the institute to perform its duties.
Sec. 75.305. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The institute
may accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source for the
purposes of the institute.
Sec. 75.306. INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL AUDIT FOR REVIEW BY
COMPTROLLER. (a) The institute biennially shall commission an
independent financial audit of its activities from a certified
public accounting firm. The institute shall provide the audit to
the comptroller.
(b) The comptroller shall review and evaluate the audit and
biennially issue a public report of that review.
Sec. 75.307. APPROPRIATION CONTINGENCY. The board is
required to implement a provision of this subchapter only if the
legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If
the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
purpose, the board may, but is not required to, implement the
provision using other money available to the board for that
purpose.
SECTION 3. Section 418.042(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) The division shall prepare and keep current a
comprehensive state emergency management plan. The plan may
include:
(1) provisions for prevention and minimization of
injury and damage caused by disaster;
(2) provisions for prompt and effective response to
disaster;
(3) provisions for emergency relief;
(4) provisions for energy emergencies;
(5) identification of areas particularly vulnerable
to disasters;
(6) recommendations for zoning, building
restrictions, and other land-use controls, safety measures for
securing mobile homes or other nonpermanent or semipermanent
structures, and other preventive and preparedness measures
designed to eliminate or reduce disasters or their impact;
(7) provisions for assistance to local officials in
designing local emergency management plans;
(8) authorization and procedures for the erection or
other construction of temporary works designed to protect against
or mitigate danger, damage, or loss from flood, fire, or other
disaster;
(9) preparation and distribution to the appropriate
state and local officials of state catalogs of federal, state, and
private assistance programs;
(10) organization of manpower and channels of
assistance;
(11) coordination of federal, state, and local
emergency management activities;
(12) coordination of the state emergency management
plan with the emergency management plans of the federal government;
(13) coordination of federal and state energy
emergency plans;
(14) provisions for providing information to local
officials on activation of the Emergency Alert System established
under 47 C.F.R. Part 11;
(15) a database of public facilities that may be used
under Section 418.017 to shelter individuals during a disaster,
including air-conditioned facilities for shelter during an extreme
heat disaster and fortified structures for shelter during a wind
disaster;
(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 matters relating to disasters.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1780 passed the Senate on
April 21, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 3.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1780 passed the House on
May 25, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 122, Nays 24, one
present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor