Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB180 Compare Versions

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1	1	88R1826 LRM-F
2	2	By: Miles S.B. No. 180
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the Center for Elimination of Disproportionality and
8	8	Disparities renamed as the office for health equity and the duties
9	9	of that office.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Chapter 107A, Health and Safety Code, is amended
12	12	to read as follows:
13	13	CHAPTER 107A. OFFICE FOR HEALTH EQUITY [CENTER FOR ELIMINATION OF
14	14	DISPROPORTIONALITY AND DISPARITIES]
15	15	Sec. 107A.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
16	16	(1) "Office" means the office for health equity
17	17	established under this chapter.
18	18	(2) "Provider" has the meaning assigned by Section
19	19	531.1011, Government Code.
20	20	Sec. 107A.002. OFFICE FOR HEALTH EQUITY [CENTER FOR
21	21	ELIMINATION OF DISPROPORTIONALITY AND DISPARITIES]. (a) The
22	22	executive commissioner shall maintain an office [a center] for
23	23	health equity within [elimination of disproportionality and
24	24	disparities in] the commission to:
25	25	(1) assume a leadership role in working or contracting
26	26	with state and federal agencies, universities, private interest
27	27	groups, communities, foundations, and offices of minority health to
28	28	develop and implement health initiatives to create health equity
29	29	and decrease or eliminate health and health access disparities
30	30	among women and racial, multicultural, disadvantaged, ethnic, and
31	31	regional populations, and across age brackets and linguistic groups
32	32	in this state[, including appropriate language services]; and
33	33	(2) coordinate with state and federal agencies,
34	34	universities, private interest groups, communities, foundations,
35	35	and offices that provide health care services to women and specific
36	36	minority and age groups in this state to maximize use of existing
37	37	resources without duplicating existing efforts.
38	38	(b) The health initiatives developed under Subsection (a)
39	39	must include initiatives to increase access to appropriate language
40	40	services in health care settings.
41	41	Sec. 107A.003 [107A.002]. POWERS OF OFFICE [CENTER]. The
42	42	office [center] may:
43	43	(1) provide a central information and referral source,
44	44	including a clearinghouse for health disparities information, and
45	45	serve as the primary state resource in coordinating, planning,
46	46	implementing, and advocating access to health care services to
47	47	eliminate health disparities in this state;
48	48	(2) coordinate conferences and other training
49	49	opportunities to increase skills among state agencies and
50	50	government staff in management and in the appreciation of cultural
51	51	diversity;
52	52	(3) pursue and administer grant funds for innovative
53	53	projects for universities, communities, groups, and individuals;
54	54	(4) provide recommendations and training in improving
55	55	minority recruitment in state agencies;
56	56	(5) publicize, implement, and disseminate information
57	57	and evidence-based strategies to promote health equity and
58	58	eliminate [regarding] health disparities and minority health
59	59	issues through the use of the media;
60	60	(6) network with existing minority organizations,
61	61	community-based health groups, faith-based organizations, and
62	62	statewide health coalitions;
63	63	(7) solicit, receive, and spend grants, gifts, and
64	64	donations from public and private sources; [and]
65	65	(8) contract with public and private entities in the
66	66	performance of its responsibilities;
67	67	(9) coordinate with local health authorities to
68	68	investigate and report on issues related to health and health
69	69	access disparities among women and racial, multicultural, ethnic,
70	70	disadvantaged, and regional populations, and across age brackets
71	71	and linguistic groups in this state;
72	72	(10) publish on the office's publicly accessible
73	73	Internet website the results of an investigation under Subdivision
74	74	(9) and any data collected during the investigation, omitting any
75	75	data that includes an individual's personally identifying
76	76	information;
77	77	(11) monitor existing and emerging trends in
78	78	behavioral health, morbidity, and mortality rates among women and
79	79	racial, multicultural, ethnic, disadvantaged, and regional
80	80	populations, and across age brackets and linguistic groups in this
81	81	state;
82	82	(12) develop and implement short-term and long-term
83	83	strategies to promote health equity and eliminate health and health
84	84	access disparities among women and racial, multicultural, ethnic,
85	85	disadvantaged, and regional populations, and across age brackets
86	86	and linguistic groups in this state;
87	87	(13) monitor the progress of the commission and of the
88	88	providers with whom the commission contracts in promoting health
89	89	equity and in eliminating health and health access disparities;
90	90	(14) advise and assist the commission on the
91	91	implementation of any programs or funding authorized by the
92	92	legislature that addresses health and health access disparities;
93	93	(15) examine the manner in which disparities in
94	94	education, criminal justice, housing, economic opportunity,
95	95	environment, and other social determinants contribute to health and
96	96	health access disparities;
97	97	(16) examine the effect of health and health access
98	98	disparities on educational, housing, and economic opportunity; and
99	99	(17) advise the commission on procuring contracts with
100	100	providers that are promoting health equity and working to eliminate
101	101	health and health access disparities among women and racial,
102	102	multicultural, ethnic, disadvantaged, and regional populations,
103	103	and across age brackets and linguistic groups in this state.
104	104	Sec. 107A.004 [107A.003]. FUNDING. The commission may
105	105	distribute to the office to be used in accordance with this chapter:
106	106	(1) [center] unobligated and unexpended
107	107	appropriations;
108	108	(2) money appropriated by the legislature; and
109	109	(3) gifts, donations, or grants, including grants from
110	110	the federal government [to be used to carry out its powers].
111	111	Sec. 107A.005. PROVIDER CONTRACTS. (a) The commission
112	112	shall collaborate with the office in procuring contracts and
113	113	entering into provider agreements with providers that promote
114	114	health equity and eliminate health and health access disparities
115	115	among women and racial, multicultural, ethnic, disadvantaged, and
116	116	regional populations, and across age brackets and linguistic groups
117	117	in this state.
118	118	(b) The office shall assist providers under a contract or
119	119	provider agreement with the commission in implementing programs and
120	120	strategies that promote health equity and eliminate health and
121	121	health access disparities among women and racial, multicultural,
122	122	ethnic, disadvantaged, and regional populations, and across age
123	123	brackets and linguistic groups in this state.
124	124	Sec. 107A.006. CROSS-AGENCY COLLABORATION. The office may
125	125	collaborate with other state agencies to advise and assist in
126	126	implementing programs and strategies that seek to eliminate social
127	127	determinants that contribute to health and health access
128	128	disparities among women and racial, multicultural, ethnic,
129	129	disadvantaged, and regional populations, and across age brackets
130	130	and linguistic groups in this state.
131	131	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.