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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a state plan for responding to pandemics. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 418, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 418.0423 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 418.0423. PANDEMIC RESPONSE PLAN. (a) In this |
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section, "pandemic" means an emerging infectious disease threat |
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that has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. |
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(b) The division shall prepare and keep current a pandemic |
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response plan. The plan may include provisions for: |
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(1) consulting infectious disease experts regarding: |
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(A) risk assessment; |
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(B) identification of the pathogen; and |
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(C) key questions about the pathogen that may |
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affect the size, scale, and design of the response; |
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(2) preventing and minimizing injury and damage caused |
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by a pandemic; |
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(3) prompt and effective response to a pandemic; |
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(4) emergency relief; |
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(5) identifying areas and populations particularly |
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vulnerable to the occurrence of a pandemic; |
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(6) communicating with governmental and private |
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entities, including entities listed in Section 418.051, to |
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facilitate coordination and collaboration for the efficient and |
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effective planning and execution of a pandemic response plan; |
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(7) organizing federal, state, and local pandemic |
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response activities; |
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(8) assisting local officials in designing local |
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pandemic response plans; |
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(9) preparing and distributing to appropriate state |
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and local officials catalogs of federal, state, and private |
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assistance programs; and |
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(10) other necessary matters relating to pandemics. |
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(c) In preparing and revising the pandemic response plan, |
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the division shall seek the assistance of: |
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(1) any necessary federal, state, or local |
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governmental entity; |
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(2) medical experts specializing in infectious |
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disease; and |
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(3) community leaders and business, labor, |
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agriculture, civic, and volunteer organizations. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |