By Delisi                                             H.C.R. No. 44

         75R3119 KMW-D                           

                             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,  and

1-20     the Blackland Research Center and the School of Rural Public Health

1-21     of The Texas A&M University System, within their existing resources

1-22     and in conjunction with city and county governments, to study the

1-23     current role of local governments in providing public health

1-24     services; and, be it further

 2-1           RESOLVED, That the agencies submit a full report of their

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

 2-3     convenes in January 1999; and, be it further

 2-4           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official

 2-5     copy of this resolution to the commissioner of health, the dean of

 2-6     the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs, the directors

 2-7     of the Blackland Research Center and the School of Rural Public

 2-8     Health, the chancellor of The Texas A&M University System, and the

 2-9     chancellor of The University of Texas System.