JH H.B. 1012 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS URBAN AFFAIRS H.B. 1012 By: Counts 4-10-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Home-rule municipalities in the western region of the State are not adequately served by the Texas Department of Health (TDH) due to distance and travel time from cities where the Health Authority is located. The City of Big Spring currently contracts with the Texas Department of Health (TDH) to provide the services of the Health Authority and all public health related matters. The Health Authority (a licensed physician) is located in El Paso, Texas 350 miles away. The TDH will only provide the on site services of the Health Authority one week a year for food service inspections. Many environmental health problems are neglected due to lack of local authority to administer the Health Code. The appointment of a local Health Authority would be a burden on the city budget. The City currently employs a Registered Professional Engineer who could perform these duties at no additional cost to the City. Removing the population restriction from the current Texas Health Code Section 341.082 would allow HomeRule Municipalities to use a Registered Professional Engineer to enforce the Health Code on a timely basis. PURPOSE Remove the population restriction from the current Texas Health Code Section 341.082. Appointment of Environmental Health Officer in Certain Home-Rule Municipalities. Remove the clause "with population with at least one million" from the stated chapter of the code. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Section 341.082(a), Health and Safety Code is amended by removing population requirement of one million for home rule appointment of environmental health officer. SECTION 2. Emergency clause.