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.