Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1780 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	S.B. No. 1780
	1	+	By: Creighton, et al. S.B. No. 1780
	2	+	(Burrows, Walle, Bonnen)
2	3
3	4
	5	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	6		AN ACT
5	7		relating to the protection of public health in this state,
6	8		including through the establishment of the Texas Epidemic Public
7	9		Health Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center
8	10		at Houston.
9	11		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	12		SECTION 1. Section 61.003(6), Education Code, is amended to
11	13		read as follows:
12	14		(6) "Other agency of higher education" means The
13	15		University of Texas System, System Administration; The University
14	16		of Texas at El Paso Museum; Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute
15	17		at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; The
16	18		Texas A&M University System, Administrative and General Offices;
17	19		Texas A&M AgriLife Research; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service;
18	20		Rodent and Predatory Animal Control Service (a part of the Texas A&M
19	21		AgriLife Extension Service); Texas A&M Engineering Experiment
20	22		Station (including the Texas A&M Transportation Institute); Texas
21	23		A&M Engineering Extension Service; Texas A&M Forest Service; Texas
22	24		Division of Emergency Management; Texas Tech University Museum;
23	25		Texas State University System, System Administration; Sam Houston
24	26		Memorial Museum; Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum; Cotton
25	27		Research Committee of Texas; Texas Water Resources Institute; Texas
26	28		A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory; and any other unit,
27	29		division, institution, or agency which shall be so designated by
28	30		statute or which may be established to operate as a component part
29	31		of any public senior college or university, or which may be so
30	32		classified as provided in this chapter.
31	33		SECTION 2. Chapter 75, Education Code, is amended by adding
32	34		Subchapter D to read as follows:
33	35		SUBCHAPTER D. TEXAS EPIDEMIC PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE
34	36		Sec. 75.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
35	37		(1) "Board" means the board of regents of The
36	38		University of Texas System.
37	39		(2) "Health science center" means The University of
38	40		Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
39	41		(3) "Institute" means the Texas Epidemic Public Health
40	42		Institute.
41	43		Sec. 75.302. ESTABLISHMENT. The board shall establish and
42	44		maintain the Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute at the health
43	45		science center.
44	46		Sec. 75.303. ROLE AND SCOPE. The institute shall establish
45	47		and maintain a public health reserve network of public health
46	48		professionals, community health workers, state and local public
47	49		health agencies, health care organizations, universities
48	50		throughout the state, and other relevant entities and persons for
49	51		the purpose of coordinating efforts to:
50	52		(1) protect public health in this state; and
51	53		(2) support pandemic and epidemic disaster
52	54		preparedness and response components of the state emergency
53	55		management plan required by Section 418.042, Government Code.
54	56		Sec. 75.304. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The administration of
55	57		the institute is under the direction of the chancellor of The
56	58		University of Texas System and the board through the president of
57	59		the health science center.
58	60		(b) The Department of State Health Services shall provide
59	61		the institute with access to relevant and timely data necessary for
60	62		the institute to perform its duties.
61	63		Sec. 75.305. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The institute
62	64		may accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source for the
63	65		purposes of the institute.
64	66		Sec. 75.306. INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL AUDIT FOR REVIEW BY
65	67		COMPTROLLER. (a) The institute biennially shall commission an
66	68		independent financial audit of its activities from a certified
67	69		public accounting firm. The institute shall provide the audit to
68	70		the comptroller.
69	71		(b) The comptroller shall review and evaluate the audit and
70	72		biennially issue a public report of that review.
71	73		Sec. 75.307. APPROPRIATION CONTINGENCY. The board is
72	74		required to implement a provision of this subchapter only if the
73	75		legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If
74	76		the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
75	77		purpose, the board may, but is not required to, implement the
76	78		provision using other money available to the board for that
77	79		purpose.
78	80		SECTION 3. Section 418.042(a), Government Code, is amended
79	81		to read as follows:
80	82		(a) The division shall prepare and keep current a
81	83		comprehensive state emergency management plan. The plan may
82	84		include:
83	85		(1) provisions for prevention and minimization of
84	86		injury and damage caused by disaster;
85	87		(2) provisions for prompt and effective response to
86	88		disaster;
87	89		(3) provisions for emergency relief;
88	90		(4) provisions for energy emergencies;
89	91		(5) identification of areas particularly vulnerable
90	92		to disasters;
91	93		(6) recommendations for zoning, building
92	94		restrictions, and other land-use controls, safety measures for
93	95		securing mobile homes or other nonpermanent or semipermanent
94	96		structures, and other preventive and preparedness measures
95	97		designed to eliminate or reduce disasters or their impact;
96	98		(7) provisions for assistance to local officials in
97	99		designing local emergency management plans;
98	100		(8) authorization and procedures for the erection or
99	101		other construction of temporary works designed to protect against
100	102		or mitigate danger, damage, or loss from flood, fire, or other
101	103		disaster;
102	104		(9) preparation and distribution to the appropriate
103	105		state and local officials of state catalogs of federal, state, and
104	106		private assistance programs;
105	107		(10) organization of manpower and channels of
106	108		assistance;
107	109		(11) coordination of federal, state, and local
108	110		emergency management activities;
109	111		(12) coordination of the state emergency management
110	112		plan with the emergency management plans of the federal government;
111	113		(13) coordination of federal and state energy
112	114		emergency plans;
113	115		(14) provisions for providing information to local
114	116		officials on activation of the Emergency Alert System established
115	117		under 47 C.F.R. Part 11;
116	118		(15) a database of public facilities that may be used
117	119		under Section 418.017 to shelter individuals during a disaster,
118	120		including air-conditioned facilities for shelter during an extreme
119	121		heat disaster and fortified structures for shelter during a wind
120	122		disaster;
121	123		(16) provisions for quickly replenishing the food
122	124		supplies of area food banks or food pantries following a disaster;
123	125		[and]
124	126		(17) provisions for protecting public health; and
125	127		(18) other necessary matters relating to disasters.
126	128		SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
127		-	______________________________ ______________________________
128		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
129		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1780 passed the Senate on
130		-	April 21, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 3.
131		-	______________________________
132		-	Secretary of the Senate
133		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1780 passed the House on
134		-	May 25, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 122, Nays 24, one
135		-	present not voting.
136		-	______________________________
137		-	Chief Clerk of the House
138		-	Approved:
139		-	______________________________
140		-	Date
141		-	______________________________
142		-	Governor