1-1     By:  Maxey (Senate Sponsor - Nelson)                   H.B. No. 768
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 2, 2001;
 1-3     April 3, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Health
 1-4     and Human Services; April 26, 2001, reported favorably by the
 1-5     following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; April 26, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to an interagency coordinating council for HIV and
 1-9     hepatitis.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1.  Section 85.017, Health and Safety Code,  is
1-12     transferred to Subchapter A, Chapter 81, Health and Safety Code,
1-13     renumbered as Section 81.010, Health and Safety Code, and amended
1-14     to read as follows:
1-15           Sec. 81.010 [85.017].  [HIV/AIDS] INTERAGENCY COORDINATING
1-16     COUNCIL FOR HIV AND HEPATITIS.  (a)  In this section, "AIDS" and
1-17     "HIV" have the meanings assigned by Section 85.002.
1-18           (b)  The [HIV/AIDS] Interagency Coordinating Council for HIV
1-19     and Hepatitis facilitates [is created to facilitate] communication
1-20     between state agencies concerning [HIV/AIDS] policies relating to
1-21     AIDS, HIV, and hepatitis.
1-22           (c) [(b)]  The council consists of one representative from
1-23     each of the following agencies appointed by the executive director
1-24     or commissioner of each agency:
1-25                 (1)  the department;
1-26                 (2)  the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental
1-27     Retardation;
1-28                 (3)  the Texas Department of Human Services;
1-29                 (4)  the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse;
1-30                 (5)  the Texas Rehabilitation Commission;
1-31                 (6)  the Texas Youth Commission;
1-32                 (7)  the Texas Department of Criminal Justice;
1-33                 (8)  the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission;
1-34                 (9)  the Texas Commission for the Blind;
1-35                 (10)  the Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of
1-36     Hearing;
1-37                 (11)  the Department of Protective and Regulatory
1-38     Services;
1-39                 (12)  the Texas Education Agency;
1-40                 (13)  the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners;
1-41                 (14)  the Board of Nurse Examiners;
1-42                 (15)  the Board of Vocational Nurse Examiners;
1-43                 (16)  the [Texas] State Board of Dental Examiners;
1-44     [and]
1-45                 (17)  the Health and Human Services Commission;
1-46                 (18)  the Texas Department on Aging; and
1-47                 (19)  the Texas Workforce Commission.
1-48           (d) [(c)]  All representatives appointed to the council must
1-49     be directly involved in policy or program activities related to
1-50     [AIDS and HIV] services for AIDS, HIV, or hepatitis for their
1-51     respective agencies.
1-52           (e) [(d)]  The representative from the department serves as
1-53     chairperson of the council.
1-54           (f) [(e)]  The council shall meet at least once each quarter
1-55     on meeting dates set by the council.  Each agency that has a
1-56     representative appointed to the council shall ensure that a
1-57     representative of the agency attends at least three quarterly
1-58     meetings of the council each year.
1-59           (g)  The council shall provide an opportunity for interested
1-60     members of the public, including consumers and providers of health
1-61     services, to provide recommendations and information to the council
1-62     during:
1-63                 (1)  any meeting at which the council intends to vote
1-64     or votes on any matter; and
 2-1                 (2)  at least one of any two consecutive quarterly
 2-2     meetings of the council.
 2-3           (h) [(f)]  The council shall:
 2-4                 (1)  coordinate communication among the member agencies
 2-5     listed in Subsection (c) [(b)] concerning each agency's programs in
 2-6     providing [AIDS-related and HIV-related] services related to AIDS,
 2-7     HIV, and hepatitis; and
 2-8                 (2)  develop a plan that facilitates coordination of
 2-9     agency programs for:
2-10                       (A)  prevention of AIDS, [and] HIV infection, and
2-11     hepatitis; and
2-12                       (B)  provision of services to individuals who
2-13     have hepatitis [with AIDS] or are infected with HIV.[; and]
2-14           (i)  Not later than September 1 of each even-numbered year,
2-15     the council shall file a [(3)  develop an annual] report with [to
2-16     be presented to] the legislature and the governor containing policy
2-17     recommendations relating to:
2-18                 (1)  prevention of [and plans for coordinated
2-19     activities that address issues and problems involved in] AIDS,
2-20     [and] HIV infection, and hepatitis; [prevention] and
2-21                 (2)  delivery of health services to individuals who
2-22     have [with] AIDS or hepatitis or are infected with HIV.
2-23           (j) [(g)]  The council shall establish advisory committees
2-24     composed of representatives from associations, consumer advocates,
2-25     and regulatory agencies, boards, or commissions as needed to assist
2-26     in carrying out its duties under this section.
2-27           (k) [(h)]  The department shall provide administrative
2-28     support to the council.
2-29           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
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