S.B. No. 482 AN ACT 1-1 relating to the creation, powers, and duties of the Texas Volunteer 1-2 Health Corps. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Chapter 12, Health and Safety Code, is amended by 1-5 adding Subchapter H to read as follows: 1-6 SUBCHAPTER H. TEXAS VOLUNTEER HEALTH CORPS 1-7 Sec. 12.091. TEXAS VOLUNTEER HEALTH CORPS. (a) The 1-8 department shall establish the Texas Volunteer Health Corps to 1-9 enhance community-based public health services. 1-10 (b) The Texas Volunteer Health Corps shall connect 1-11 volunteers with residents of local communities to involve those 1-12 residents in preventive health care, expand the role of those 1-13 residents in making decisions about their own health, and build 1-14 community support for public health. 1-15 Sec. 12.092. COORDINATORS. (a) The department may employ 1-16 coordinators to recruit, train, and refer volunteers for service in 1-17 local communities. 1-18 (b) A coordinator employed under this section may apply for 1-19 grants from any public or private source for purposes of this 1-20 subchapter. 1-21 Sec. 12.093. VOLUNTEERS. (a) Volunteers recruited under 1-22 this subchapter may include students in high school or an 1-23 institution of higher education, senior citizens, participants in 1-24 the AFDC job opportunities and basic skills (JOBS) training 2-1 program, VISTA and AmeriCorps volunteers, and volunteers from 2-2 business and community networks. 2-3 (b) To build healthy local communities, Texas Volunteer 2-4 Health Corps volunteers may promote health, expand clients' 2-5 capacity for self-help, make clinic appointments, arrange 2-6 transportation, and identify community resources and provide links 2-7 to those resources. 2-8 Sec. 12.094. VITAL HEALTH CARE ISSUES. (a) The department 2-9 may identify vital health care issues, including the use of tobacco 2-10 and alcohol, end-of-life needs, health and safety issues on the 2-11 Texas/Mexico border, family issues, oral health, violence, 2-12 immunizations, homelessness, responsible adult and teen pregnancy, 2-13 substance abuse, health promotion and education, and disease 2-14 prevention. 2-15 (b) The Texas Volunteer Health Corps may address a vital 2-16 health care issue if a local community identifies the issue as a 2-17 priority. 2-18 Sec. 12.095. MENTORS. The department shall encourage health 2-19 care professionals to volunteer as mentors in the Texas Volunteer 2-20 Health Corps. 2-21 Sec. 12.096. INFORMATION. The department may provide public 2-22 health information materials as needed by the Texas Volunteer 2-23 Health Corps. 2-24 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-26 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-27 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-2 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-3 passage, and it is so enacted.