1-1 By: Zaffirini, et al. S.B. No. 31 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed November 13, 2000; January 10, 2001, 1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Education; 1-4 February 7, 2001, rereferred to Committee on Health and Human 1-5 Services; February 19, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable 1-6 Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; 1-7 February 19, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-8 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 31 By: Madla 1-9 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-10 AN ACT 1-11 relating to providing information about bacterial meningitis to 1-12 students of public schools and students of institutions of higher 1-13 education. 1-14 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-15 SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is 1-16 amended by adding Section 51.9191 to read as follows: 1-17 Sec. 51.9191. BACTERIAL MENINGITIS INFORMATION FOR NEW 1-18 STUDENTS. (a) In this section: 1-19 (1) "Institution of higher education" and "private or 1-20 independent institution of higher education" have the meanings 1-21 assigned by Section 61.003. 1-22 (2) "New student" means a first-time student of an 1-23 institution of higher education or private or independent 1-24 institution of higher education and includes a student who 1-25 transfers to the institution from another institution. 1-26 (b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall 1-27 prescribe procedures by which each institution of higher education 1-28 shall provide information relating to bacterial meningitis to new 1-29 students of the institution. The procedures must provide for the 1-30 information to be provided in a brochure or other manner so that 1-31 the information is reasonably likely to come to the attention of 1-32 each student. The coordinating board shall prescribe the form and 1-33 content of the information. The information must cover: 1-34 (1) the symptoms of the disease, how it may be 1-35 diagnosed, and its possible consequences if untreated; 1-36 (2) how the disease is transmitted, how it may be 1-37 prevented, and the relative risk of contracting the disease for 1-38 students of institutions of higher education; 1-39 (3) the availability and effectiveness of vaccination 1-40 against and treatment for the disease, including how students of 1-41 the institution may seek vaccination or treatment and whether a 1-42 vaccination is available from the student health center, and a 1-43 brief description of the risks and possible side effects of 1-44 vaccination; and 1-45 (4) sources of additional information regarding the 1-46 disease and include the telephone numbers of the student health 1-47 center, if there is a student health center, and the appropriate 1-48 office of the Texas Department of Health. 1-49 (c) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall 1-50 consult with the Texas Department of Health in prescribing the 1-51 content of the information to be provided to students under this 1-52 section. The coordinating board shall establish an advisory 1-53 committee to assist the coordinating board in the initial 1-54 implementation of this section. The advisory committee must 1-55 include at least two members who are students at public or private 1-56 institutions of higher education. 1-57 (d) An institution of higher education, with the written 1-58 consent of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, may 1-59 provide the information required by this section to new students of 1-60 the institution by a method different from the method prescribed by 1-61 the coordinating board under Subsection (b) if the coordinating 1-62 board determines that method would be effective in bringing the 1-63 information to the attention of all new students of the 1-64 institution. 2-1 (e) Each institution of higher education shall obtain from 2-2 each new student of the institution a confirmation signed or 2-3 acknowledged by the student that the student has received the 2-4 information required to be provided to the student under this 2-5 section and shall retain the confirmation for not less than two 2-6 years after the student first enrolls at the institution. 2-7 (f) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the 2-8 Texas Department of Health shall encourage private or independent 2-9 institutions of higher education to provide the information 2-10 prescribed by Subsection (b) to all new students of those 2-11 institutions. 2-12 SECTION 2. Chapter 38, Education Code, is amended by adding 2-13 Section 38.0025 to read as follows: 2-14 Sec. 38.0025. DISSEMINATION OF BACTERIAL MENINGITIS 2-15 INFORMATION. (a) The agency shall prescribe procedures by which 2-16 each school district shall provide information relating to 2-17 bacterial meningitis to its students and their parents each school 2-18 year. The procedures must ensure that the information is 2-19 reasonably likely to come to the attention of the parents of each 2-20 student. The agency shall prescribe the form and content of the 2-21 information. The information must cover: 2-22 (1) the symptoms of the disease, how it may be 2-23 diagnosed, and its possible consequences if untreated; 2-24 (2) how the disease is transmitted, how it may be 2-25 prevented, and the relative risk of contracting the disease for 2-26 primary and secondary school students; 2-27 (3) the availability and effectiveness of vaccination 2-28 against and treatment for the disease, and a brief description of 2-29 the risks and possible side effects of vaccination; and 2-30 (4) sources of additional information regarding the 2-31 disease, including any appropriate office of the school district 2-32 and the appropriate office of the Texas Department of Health. 2-33 (b) The agency shall consult with the Texas Department of 2-34 Health in prescribing the content of the information to be provided 2-35 to students under this section. The agency shall establish an 2-36 advisory committee to assist the agency in the initial 2-37 implementation of this section. The advisory committee must 2-38 include at least two members who are parents of students at public 2-39 schools in this state. 2-40 (c) A school district, with the written consent of the 2-41 agency, may provide the information required by this section to its 2-42 students and their parents by a method different from the method 2-43 prescribed by the agency under Subsection (a) if the agency 2-44 determines that method would be effective in bringing the 2-45 information to the attention of the parents of each student. 2-46 SECTION 3. (a) This Act takes effect immediately if it 2-47 receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each 2-48 house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. 2-49 If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate 2-50 effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 2-51 (b) Section 38.0025, Education Code, as added by this Act, 2-52 applies beginning with the 2001-2002 school year. 2-53 (c) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall 2-54 implement Section 51.9191, Education Code, as added by this Act, as 2-55 necessary to ensure that the information required by that section 2-56 is provided to new students of institutions of higher education 2-57 entering those institutions on or after January 1, 2002. 2-58 * * * * *