S.C.R. No. 42
                             SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
    1-1        WHEREAS, For the last five years, the State of Texas has led
    1-2  the nation in vaccine preventable disease morbidity and mortality;
    1-3  and
    1-4        WHEREAS, Texas also ranks last among all 50 states in the
    1-5  percentage of children who have been fully immunized, with
    1-6  immunization levels in some parts of the state below those of third
    1-7  world countries; and
    1-8        WHEREAS, It has been estimated that three out of every 10
    1-9  two-year-olds fail to get proper immunizations, and in our inner
   1-10  cities and colonias less than 50 percent of two-year-olds are fully
   1-11  immunized; and
   1-12        WHEREAS, Measles cases have risen sharply, and the majority
   1-13  of these cases has been in the preschool age population; and
   1-14        WHEREAS, In addition to death and suffering, preventable
   1-15  diseases are economic burdens to the health care delivery system;
   1-16  and
   1-17        WHEREAS, There is limited immunization education and
   1-18  motivation among parents and guardians of young children in Texas;
   1-19  in addition, the general public is unaware of the existence and
   1-20  severity of vaccine preventable disease; and
   1-21        WHEREAS, Indifference and apathy to the low vaccine rate in
   1-22  Texas can be overcome through concerted efforts of health care
   1-23  leaders, public officials, and public citizens; now, therefore, be
    2-1  it
    2-2        RESOLVED, That the 73rd Legislature of the State of Texas
    2-3  hereby declare July, 1993, as Immunization Month in Texas; and, be
    2-4  it further
    2-5        RESOLVED, That the Texas Department of Health direct a
    2-6  bilingual statewide immunization effort for the month of July,
    2-7  1993, coordinating efforts of the United States government, the
    2-8  United States Armed Forces, other state agencies, public medical
    2-9  schools, health science centers, and volunteer health care
   2-10  providers with public and private entities to provide public
   2-11  service announcements, newspaper and other notices, transportation
   2-12  services, state and local public facilities, and other necessary
   2-13  components to focus public attention on immunization efforts, bring
   2-14  about public awareness, and effectuate the immunization of persons
   2-15  under 18 years of age; and, be it further
   2-16        RESOLVED, That the Texas Department of Health explore new and
   2-17  innovative ways to reach the goal of 100 percent immunization of
   2-18  children under the age of 18 at the earliest possible date and in
   2-19  the most cost-effective manner, including seeking discretionary
   2-20  funding from the United States Department of Health and Human
   2-21  Services or from foundations for an emergency immunization
   2-22  demonstration program that would target five counties in Texas with
   2-23  the lowest immunization rates and create model programs for those
   2-24  counties, seeking discretionary funding from the United States
   2-25  Department of Health and Human Services or from foundations to
    3-1  develop models for building public awareness concerning the
    3-2  importance of preschool immunization among high-risk populations,
    3-3  contracting with the United States Armed Forces, the public medical
    3-4  schools, health science centers, and other state agencies, and
    3-5  instituting programs on a statewide or local level or through
    3-6  mobile outreach clinics utilizing volunteer health care providers;
    3-7  and, be it further
    3-8        RESOLVED, That the Texas Department of Health review the
    3-9  development and implementation of a statewide immunization
   3-10  registry; and, be it further
   3-11        RESOLVED, That the findings and recommendations made by the
   3-12  Texas Department of Health pursuant to this resolution be reported
   3-13  by the department to the governor and presiding officer of each
   3-14  house of the legislature not later than June 1, 1994; and, be it
   3-15  further
   3-16        RESOLVED, That the Texas Department of Health report to the
   3-17  Legislative Health and Human Services Board by September 1, 1994,
   3-18  as to the efforts being made to effectuate 100 percent immunization
   3-19  of children under the age of 18 years, the results of those
   3-20  efforts, what new efforts could and/or should be made to better
   3-21  reach this goal, and what recommendations the Texas Department of
   3-22  Health would have.