Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB274 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R375 LRM-D
2	2	By: Miles S.B. No. 274
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the Center for Elimination of Disproportionality and
10	10	Disparities renamed as the office for health equity and the duties
11	11	of that office.
12	12	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	13	SECTION 1. Chapter 107A, Health and Safety Code, is amended
14	14	to read as follows:
15	15	CHAPTER 107A. OFFICE FOR HEALTH EQUITY [CENTER FOR ELIMINATION OF
16	16	DISPROPORTIONALITY AND DISPARITIES]
17	17	Sec. 107A.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
18	18	(1) "Office" means the office for health equity
19	19	established under this chapter.
20	20	(2) "Provider" has the meaning assigned by Section
21	21	544.0001, Government Code.
22	22	Sec. 107A.002. OFFICE FOR HEALTH EQUITY [CENTER FOR
23	23	ELIMINATION OF DISPROPORTIONALITY AND DISPARITIES]. (a) The
24	24	executive commissioner shall maintain an office [a center] for
25	25	health equity within [elimination of disproportionality and
26	26	disparities in] the commission to:
27	27	(1) assume a leadership role in working or contracting
28	28	with state and federal agencies, universities, private interest
29	29	groups, communities, foundations, and offices of minority health to
30	30	develop and implement health initiatives to promote health equity
31	31	and decrease or eliminate health and health access disparities
32	32	among women and racial, multicultural, disadvantaged, ethnic, and
33	33	regional populations, and across age brackets and linguistic groups
34	34	in this state[, including appropriate language services]; and
35	35	(2) coordinate with state and federal agencies,
36	36	universities, private interest groups, communities, foundations,
37	37	and offices that provide health care services to women and specific
38	38	minority and age groups in this state to maximize use of existing
39	39	resources without duplicating existing efforts.
40	40	(b) The health initiatives developed under Subsection (a)
41	41	must include initiatives to increase access to appropriate language
42	42	services in health care settings.
43	43	Sec. 107A.003 [107A.002]. POWERS OF OFFICE [CENTER]. The
44	44	office [center] may:
45	45	(1) provide a central information and referral source,
46	46	including a clearinghouse for health disparities information, and
47	47	serve as the primary state resource in coordinating, planning,
48	48	implementing, and advocating access to health care services to
49	49	promote health equity and eliminate health disparities in this
50	50	state;
51	51	(2) coordinate conferences and other training
52	52	opportunities to increase skills among state agencies and
53	53	government staff in management and in the appreciation of cultural
54	54	diversity;
55	55	(3) pursue and administer grant funds for innovative
56	56	projects for universities, communities, groups, and individuals;
57	57	(4) provide recommendations and training in improving
58	58	minority recruitment in state agencies;
59	59	(5) publicize, implement, and disseminate information
60	60	and evidence-based strategies to promote health equity and
61	61	eliminate [regarding] health disparities [and minority health
62	62	issues] through the use of the media;
63	63	(6) network with existing minority organizations,
64	64	community-based health groups, faith-based organizations, and
65	65	statewide health coalitions;
66	66	(7) solicit, receive, and spend grants, gifts, and
67	67	donations from public and private sources; [and]
68	68	(8) contract with public and private entities in the
69	69	performance of its responsibilities;
70	70	(9) coordinate with local health authorities to
71	71	investigate and report on issues related to health and health
72	72	access disparities among women and racial, multicultural, ethnic,
73	73	disadvantaged, and regional populations, and across age brackets
74	74	and linguistic groups in this state;
75	75	(10) publish on the office's publicly accessible
76	76	Internet website the results of an investigation under Subdivision
77	77	(9) and any data collected during the investigation, omitting any
78	78	personally identifying information;
79	79	(11) monitor existing and emerging trends in
80	80	behavioral health, morbidity, and mortality rates among women and
81	81	racial, multicultural, ethnic, disadvantaged, and regional
82	82	populations, and across age brackets and linguistic groups in this
83	83	state;
84	84	(12) develop and implement short-term and long-term
85	85	strategies to promote health equity and eliminate health and health
86	86	access disparities among women and racial, multicultural, ethnic,
87	87	disadvantaged, and regional populations, and across age brackets
88	88	and linguistic groups in this state;
89	89	(13) monitor the progress of the commission and
90	90	providers in promoting health equity and in eliminating health and
91	91	health access disparities;
92	92	(14) advise and assist the commission on the
93	93	implementation of any programs or funding authorized by the
94	94	legislature that addresses health and health access disparities;
95	95	(15) examine the manner in which disparities in
96	96	education, criminal justice, housing, economic opportunity,
97	97	environment, and other social determinants contribute to health and
98	98	health access disparities;
99	99	(16) examine the effect of health and health access
100	100	disparities on educational, housing, and economic opportunity; and
101	101	(17) advise the commission on procuring contracts with
102	102	providers who are promoting health equity and working to eliminate
103	103	health and health access disparities among women and racial,
104	104	multicultural, ethnic, disadvantaged, and regional populations,
105	105	and across age brackets and linguistic groups in this state.
106	106	Sec. 107A.004 [107A.003]. FUNDING. The commission may
107	107	distribute to the office to be used in accordance with this chapter:
108	108	(1) [center] unobligated and unexpended
109	109	appropriations;
110	110	(2) money the legislature appropriates; and
111	111	(3) gifts, donations, or grants, including grants from
112	112	the federal government [to be used to carry out its powers].
113	113	Sec. 107A.005. PROVIDER CONTRACTS. (a) The commission
114	114	shall collaborate with the office in procuring contracts and
115	115	entering into provider agreements with providers who promote health
116	116	equity and eliminate health and health access disparities among
117	117	women and racial, multicultural, ethnic, disadvantaged, and
118	118	regional populations, and across age brackets and linguistic groups
119	119	in this state.
120	120	(b) The office shall assist providers under a contract or
121	121	provider agreement with the commission in implementing programs and
122	122	strategies that promote health equity and eliminate health and
123	123	health access disparities among women and racial, multicultural,
124	124	ethnic, disadvantaged, and regional populations, and across age
125	125	brackets and linguistic groups in this state.
126	126	Sec. 107A.006. CROSS-AGENCY COLLABORATION. The office may
127	127	collaborate with other state agencies to advise and assist in
128	128	implementing programs and strategies that seek to eliminate social
129	129	determinants contributing to health and health access disparities
130	130	among women and racial, multicultural, ethnic, disadvantaged, and
131	131	regional populations, and across age brackets and linguistic groups
132	132	in this state.
133	133	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.