By: Schwertner, et al. S.B. No. 984
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to public health disaster and public health emergency
preparedness and response, including the operation of the Task
Force on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 81, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Sections 81.027 and 81.028 to read as
follows:
Sec. 81.027. TRAUMA SERVICE AREA REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL
DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING. (a) Each trauma service area
regional advisory council shall collect from each hospital located
in the regional advisory council's trauma service area the
de-identified health care data, including demographic data,
necessary for this state and the area to effectively plan for and
respond to public health disasters and communicable or infectious
disease emergencies in this state. The executive commissioner by
rule shall prescribe the data each council must collect under this
subsection.
(b) A trauma service area regional advisory council shall:
(1) provide the data collected under Subsection (a) to
the department; and
(2) make the data publicly available by:
(A) posting the data on the regional advisory
council's Internet website; or
(B) if the regional advisory council does not
maintain an Internet website, providing the data in writing on
request.
(c) Information collected or maintained under this section
that identifies a patient is confidential and exempt from
disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code.
Sec. 81.028. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT RESERVES. (a)
In this section, "personal protective equipment" means specialized
clothing or equipment worn for protection against communicable and
other infectious diseases.
(b) The department shall, if money is appropriated to the
department for the purposes of this section, establish a reserve,
or regional reserves, of personal protective equipment to support a
response to public health disasters and communicable or infectious
disease emergencies in this state.
SECTION 2. Section 81.404(a), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) The governor may appoint members of the task force as
necessary, including members from relevant state agencies, members
with expertise in infectious diseases and other issues involved in
the prevention of the spread of infectious diseases, and members
from institutions of higher education in this state. The governor
shall appoint to the task force:
(1) at least one member who is a county judge of a
county with a population of less than 100,000;
(2) at least one member who is a county judge of a
county with a population of 100,000 or more;
(3) at least one member who is a representative of a
local health authority serving a rural area;
(4) at least one member who is a representative of a
local health authority serving an urban area;
(5) at least one member who is a licensed nurse; [and]
(6) at least one member who is emergency medical
services personnel, as defined by Section 773.003; and
(7) at least one member who is an epidemiologist.
SECTION 3. Section 81.406(a), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) The task force shall meet:
(1) at least once each year at a location determined by
the task force director; and
(2) at other times and locations as determined by the
task force director [of the task force].
SECTION 4. Not later than January 1, 2022, the governor
shall appoint the member of the Task Force on Infectious Disease
Preparedness and Response as required by Section 81.404(a)(7),
Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 5. The Department of State Health Services is
required to implement Section 81.028, Health and Safety Code, as
added by 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 Section 81.028 using other
appropriations available for that purpose.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.