By: Creighton, et al. S.B. No. 1780

(Burrows, Walle, Bonnen)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the protection of public health in this state, including through the establishment of the Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 61.003(6), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(6) "Other agency of higher education" means The University of Texas System, System Administration; The University of Texas at El Paso Museum; Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; The Texas A&M University System, Administrative and General Offices; Texas A&M AgriLife Research; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service; Rodent and Predatory Animal Control Service (a part of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service); Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (including the Texas A&M Transportation Institute); Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service; Texas A&M Forest Service; Texas Division of Emergency Management; Texas Tech University Museum; Texas State University System, System Administration; Sam Houston Memorial Museum; Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum; Cotton Research Committee of Texas; Texas Water Resources Institute; Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory; and any other unit, division, institution, or agency which shall be so designated by statute or which may be established to operate as a component part of any public senior college or university, or which may be so classified as provided in this chapter.

SECTION 2. Chapter 75, Education Code, is amended by adding Subchapter D to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER D. TEXAS EPIDEMIC PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE

Sec. 75.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "Board" means the board of regents of The University of Texas System.

(2) "Health science center" means The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

(3) "Institute" means the Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute.

Sec. 75.302. ESTABLISHMENT. The board shall establish and maintain the Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute at the health science center.

Sec. 75.303. ROLE AND SCOPE. The institute shall establish and maintain a public health reserve network of public health professionals, community health workers, state and local public health agencies, health care organizations, universities throughout the state, and other relevant entities and persons for the purpose of coordinating efforts to:

(1) protect public health in this state; and

(2) support pandemic and epidemic disaster preparedness and response components of the state emergency management plan required by Section 418.042, Government Code.

Sec. 75.304. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The administration of the institute is under the direction of the chancellor of The University of Texas System and the board through the president of the health science center.

(b) The Department of State Health Services shall provide the institute with access to relevant and timely data necessary for the institute to perform its duties.

Sec. 75.305. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The institute may accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source for the purposes of the institute.

Sec. 75.306. INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL AUDIT FOR REVIEW BY COMPTROLLER. (a) The institute biennially shall commission an independent financial audit of its activities from a certified public accounting firm. The institute shall provide the audit to the comptroller.

(b) The comptroller shall review and evaluate the audit and biennially issue a public report of that review.

Sec. 75.307. APPROPRIATION CONTINGENCY. The board is required to implement a provision of this subchapter only if the legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the board may, but is not required to, implement the provision using other money available to the board for that purpose.

SECTION 3. Section 418.042(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The division shall prepare and keep current a comprehensive state emergency management plan. The plan may include:

(1) provisions for prevention and minimization of injury and damage caused by disaster;

(2) provisions for prompt and effective response to disaster;

(3) provisions for emergency relief;

(4) provisions for energy emergencies;

(5) identification of areas particularly vulnerable to disasters;

(6) recommendations for zoning, building restrictions, and other land-use controls, safety measures for securing mobile homes or other nonpermanent or semipermanent structures, and other preventive and preparedness measures designed to eliminate or reduce disasters or their impact;

(7) provisions for assistance to local officials in designing local emergency management plans;

(8) authorization and procedures for the erection or other construction of temporary works designed to protect against or mitigate danger, damage, or loss from flood, fire, or other disaster;

(9) preparation and distribution to the appropriate state and local officials of state catalogs of federal, state, and private assistance programs;

(10) organization of manpower and channels of assistance;

(11) coordination of federal, state, and local emergency management activities;

(12) coordination of the state emergency management plan with the emergency management plans of the federal government;

(13) coordination of federal and state energy emergency plans;

(14) provisions for providing information to local officials on activation of the Emergency Alert System established under 47 C.F.R. Part 11;

(15) a database of public facilities that may be used under Section 418.017 to shelter individuals during a disaster, including air-conditioned facilities for shelter during an extreme heat disaster and fortified structures for shelter during a wind disaster;

(16) provisions for quickly replenishing the food supplies of area food banks or food pantries following a disaster; [and]

(17) provisions for protecting public health; and

(18) other necessary matters relating to disasters.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.