1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the establishment of a task force to eliminate health 1-3 and health access disparities in Texas. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subtitle E, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Chapter 107 to read as follows: 1-7 CHAPTER 107. HEALTH DISPARITIES TASK FORCE 1-8 Sec. 107.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "task force" 1-9 means the health disparities task force established under this 1-10 chapter. 1-11 Sec. 107.002. PURPOSE. The purpose of the task force is to 1-12 assist the department in accomplishing the following goals: 1-13 (1) to eliminate health and health access disparities 1-14 in Texas among multicultural, disadvantaged, and regional 1-15 populations; and 1-16 (2) to reorganize department programs to eliminate 1-17 those disparities. 1-18 Sec. 107.003. DUTIES. (a) The task force shall: 1-19 (1) investigate and report on issues related to health 1-20 and health access disparities among multicultural, disadvantaged, 1-21 and regional populations; 1-22 (2) develop short-term and long-term strategies to 1-23 eliminate health and health access disparities among multicultural, 1-24 disadvantaged, and regional populations, with a focus on 2-1 reorganizing department programs to eliminate those disparities; 2-2 (3) monitor the progress of the department in: 2-3 (A) eliminating the health and health access 2-4 disparities; and 2-5 (B) reorganizing department programs to 2-6 eliminate the disparities; and 2-7 (4) advise the department on the implementation of any 2-8 targeted programs or funding authorized by the legislature to 2-9 address health and health access disparities. 2-10 (b) In performing the duties described in Subsection (a), 2-11 the task force shall consult with the department, the Office of 2-12 Minority Health and Cultural Competency, women's health offices of 2-13 the department, and any other relevant division of the department. 2-14 Sec. 107.004. REPORT. The task force shall submit an annual 2-15 report on the progress of the department in accomplishing the goals 2-16 described by Section 107.002 to the governor, lieutenant governor, 2-17 and speaker of the house of representatives. This report may be 2-18 combined with any other report required of the department by law. 2-19 Sec. 107.005. COMPOSITION. (a) The task force consists of 2-20 nine members as follows: 2-21 (1) three members appointed by the governor, each of 2-22 whom represents a different interest described by Subsection (b); 2-23 (2) three members appointed by the lieutenant 2-24 governor, each of whom represents a different interest described by 2-25 Subsection (b); and 2-26 (3) three members appointed by the speaker of the 2-27 house of representatives, each of whom represents a different 3-1 interest described by Subsection (b). 3-2 (b) Each of the members appointed under Subsection (a) must 3-3 represent one of the following areas: 3-4 (1) business; 3-5 (2) labor; 3-6 (3) government; 3-7 (4) charitable or community organizations; 3-8 (5) racial or ethnic populations; or 3-9 (6) community-based health organizations. 3-10 (c) Members appointed under Subsection (a) must represent 3-11 both urban and rural areas of this state, including urban and rural 3-12 areas of the state adjacent to the border with the United Mexican 3-13 States. 3-14 (d) The governor shall designate a member of the committee 3-15 to serve as presiding officer. 3-16 (e) Members serve staggered two-year terms. Four or five 3-17 members' terms expire February 1 of each year. 3-18 (f) An appointment to fill a vacancy for the unexpired term 3-19 of a member shall be made not later than the 90th day after the 3-20 date the position becomes vacant. 3-21 Sec. 107.006. MEETINGS. The task force shall meet at the 3-22 call of the presiding officer. 3-23 Sec. 107.007. REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES. A task force 3-24 member is not entitled to compensation but is entitled to 3-25 reimbursement for the member's travel expenses as provided by 3-26 Chapter 660, Government Code, and the General Appropriations Act. 3-27 Sec. 107.008. PERSONNEL AND FACILITIES. The task force is 4-1 administratively attached to the department. The department shall 4-2 provide the necessary staff and facilities to assist the task force 4-3 in performing its duties. 4-4 Sec. 107.009. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAW. Chapter 2110, 4-5 Government Code, does not apply to the task force. 4-6 SECTION 2. The terms of the initial members of the health 4-7 disparities task force shall be determined by lot so that: 4-8 (1) five members' terms expire February 1, 2003; and 4-9 (2) four members' terms expire February 1, 2004. 4-10 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001. _______________________________ _______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.B. No. 757 was passed by the House on March 21, 2001, by a non-record vote; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to H.B. No. 757 on May 10, 2001, and requested the appointment of a conference committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. 757 on May 26, 2001, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.B. No. 757 was passed by the Senate, with amendments, on May 3, 2001, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0, 1 present, not voting; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. 757 on May 27, 2001, by a viva-voce vote. _______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: __________________________ Date __________________________ Governor