1-1 By: Delisi (Senate Sponsor - Moncrief) H.C.R. No. 44 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 21, 1997; 1-3 April 23, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on Health 1-4 and Human Services; May 17, 1997, reported favorably, as amended, 1-5 by the following vote: Yeas 10, Nays 0; May 17, 1997, sent to 1-6 printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1 By: Moncrief 1-8 Amend HCR 44 as follows: 1-9 1) On page 1, line 34, between "Texas" and "and", insert "The 1-10 University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center School of Public 1-11 Health,". 1-12 2) On page 1, line 45, between "Affairs" and "the", insert "the 1-13 dean of The University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center 1-14 School of Public Health,". 1-15 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-16 WHEREAS, Public health services are vital to all Texans in 1-17 search of healthy lives, families, and communities; and 1-18 WHEREAS, A public health infrastructure in each community 1-19 creates a better standard of living by preventing disease, ensuring 1-20 a healthy environment, and promoting physical, mental, and social 1-21 health; and 1-22 WHEREAS, City, county, and state health departments provide 1-23 public health services, and the roles of state and local 1-24 governments in providing such services may not be clearly defined; 1-25 and 1-26 WHEREAS, No special mechanism exists for local authorities to 1-27 support or fund public health services, and this absence has 1-28 resulted in a decline in local support of public health; and 1-29 WHEREAS, A strong public health infrastructure is vital to 1-30 the economic growth of the state in order to ensure a healthy 1-31 population; now, therefore, be it 1-32 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-33 hereby direct the Texas Department of Health, the Lyndon Baines 1-34 Johnson School of Public Affairs of The University of Texas, and 1-35 the Blackland Research Center and the School of Rural Public Health 1-36 of The Texas A&M University System, within their existing resources 1-37 and in conjunction with city and county governments, to study the 1-38 current role of local governments in providing public health 1-39 services; and, be it further 1-40 RESOLVED, That the agencies submit a full report of their 1-41 findings and recommendations to the 76th Legislature when it 1-42 convenes in January 1999; and, be it further 1-43 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official 1-44 copy of this resolution to the commissioner of health, the dean of 1-45 the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs, the directors 1-46 of the Blackland Research Center and the School of Rural Public 1-47 Health, the chancellor of The Texas A&M University System, and the 1-48 chancellor of The University of Texas System. 1-49 * * * * *