By Sadler                                             H.B. No. 1491
       74R4662 KLL-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to partner notification programs for persons with human
    1-3  immunodeficiency virus infection.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 81.051, Health and Safety Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding a new Subsection (g) and relettering current
    1-7  Subsections (g)-(i) to read as follows:
    1-8        (g)  A partner notification program shall make the
    1-9  notification of a partner of a person with HIV infection in the
   1-10  manner authorized by this section regardless of whether the person
   1-11  with HIV infection who gave the partner's name consents to the
   1-12  notification.
   1-13        (h)  <(g)>  A partner notification program shall provide
   1-14  counseling, testing, or referral services to a person with HIV
   1-15  infection regardless of whether the person discloses the names of
   1-16  any partners.
   1-17        (i)  <(h)>  A partner notification program shall routinely
   1-18  evaluate the performance of counselors and other program personnel
   1-19  to ensure that high quality services are being delivered.  A
   1-20  program shall adopt quality assurance and training guidelines
   1-21  according to recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control of
   1-22  the United States Public Health Service for professionals
   1-23  participating in the program.
   1-24        (j)  <(i)>  In this section, "HIV" has the meaning assigned
    2-1  by Section 81.101.
    2-2        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-3  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-4  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-5  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-6  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-7  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-8  passage, and it is so enacted.