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Senate Bill 127 |
Senate Author: Nelson |
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Effective: 9-1-13 |
House Sponsor: King, Susan |
Senate Bill 127 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), in collaboration with the Public Health Funding and Policy Committee, to develop funding formulas for federal and state funds appropriated to DSHS to be allocated to local health departments, local health units, public health districts, and health service regions' regional headquarters, based on population, population density, disease burden, social determinants of health, local efforts to prevent disease, and other relevant factors as determined by DSHS and the committee. The bill requires DSHS, in collaboration with the committee, to evaluate the feasibility and benefits of placing a cap on the percentage of public health funds that can be used on administrative costs at an applicable entity and to evaluate public health functions provided by DSHS and those entities to determine if another entity can provide those functions more effectively. The bill sets out reporting requirements for DSHS regarding the evaluations. The bill requires DSHS to create a policy to allow a local health department flexibility in the use of personnel and other resources during disaster response activities, outbreaks, and other appropriate public health threats.