SRC-MKV S.B. 1051 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterS.B. 1051 By: Shapleigh Health & Human Services 6/11/2001 Enrolled DIGEST AND PURPOSE Promotoras, or bilingual health liaisons, and community health workers play a key role in minimizing many of the health and social services barriers encountered by individuals living in economically distressed areas of the state. Although the Texas Department of Health currently operates a promotora training and certification program, participation is on a voluntary basis. S.B. 1051 requires promotoras and community health workers who receive compensation for their services to undergo training and certification by the Texas Department of Health. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Board of Health in SECTION 1 (Section 48.002, Health and Safety Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 46, Health and Safety Code, as added by Section 2.01, Chapter 857, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, as follows: Renumbers Chapter 46 to Chapter 48. Sec. 48.001. New heading: DEFINITIONS. Defines "compensation." "promotora," and "community health worker." Sec. 48.002. New heading: PROMOTORA AND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER TRAINING PROGRAM. Adds language to require the Texas Department of Health, in establishing the training program, to the extent possible, to consider the report and any findings of and adopt any applicable recommendations of the Promotora Program Development Committee. Adds language to provide that participation in a training and education program established under this section is voluntary for a promotora or community health worker who provides services without receiving any compensation and mandatory for a promotora or community health worker who provides services for compensation. Authorizes the board to adopt rules to exempt a promotora or community health worker from mandatory training who has served for three or more years or who has 1,000 or more hours of experience. Deletes language requiring the department to use as a resource the uniform curriculum for training and educating promotoras developed by the Health Education Training Centers Alliance of Texas. Sec. 48.003. New heading: CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR PROMOTORAS AND COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS. Makes conforming changes. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2001.