HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, Public health services are vital to all Texans in

 1-2     search of healthy lives, families, and communities; and

 1-3           WHEREAS, A public health infrastructure in each community

 1-4     creates a better standard of living by preventing disease, ensuring

 1-5     a healthy environment, and promoting physical, mental, and social

 1-6     health; and

 1-7           WHEREAS, City, county, and state health departments provide

 1-8     public health services, and the roles of state and local

 1-9     governments in providing such services may not be clearly defined;

1-10     and

1-11           WHEREAS, No special mechanism exists for local authorities to

1-12     support or fund public health services, and this absence has

1-13     resulted in a decline in local support of public health; and

1-14           WHEREAS, A strong public health infrastructure is vital to

1-15     the economic growth of the state in order to ensure a healthy

1-16     population; now, therefore, be it

1-17           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

1-18     hereby direct the Texas Department of Health, the Lyndon Baines

1-19     Johnson School of Public Affairs of The University of Texas, The

1-20     University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center School of Public

1-21     Health, and the Blackland Research Center and the School of Rural

1-22     Public Health of The Texas A&M University System, within their

1-23     existing resources and in conjunction with city and county

1-24     governments, to study the current role of local governments in

 2-1     providing public health services; and, be it further

 2-2           RESOLVED, That the agencies submit a full report of their

 2-3     findings and recommendations to the 76th Legislature when it

 2-4     convenes in January 1999; and, be it further

 2-5           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official

 2-6     copy of this resolution to the commissioner of health, the dean of

 2-7     the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs, the dean of The

 2-8     University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center School of Public

 2-9     Health, the directors of the Blackland Research Center and the

2-10     School of Rural Public Health, the chancellor of The Texas A&M

2-11     University System, and the chancellor of The University of Texas

2-12     System.

                                                                      Delisi

                                                                    Naishtat

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.C.R. No. 44 was adopted by the House on

         April 18, 1997, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred

         in Senate amendments to H.C.R. No. 44 on May 22, 1997, by a

         non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.C.R. No. 44 was adopted by the Senate, as

         amended, on May 20, 1997, by a viva-voce vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor