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AN ACT
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relating to the Office for the Elimination of Health Disparities |
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and the health disparities task force. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 12, Health and Safety |
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Code, is transferred to Subtitle E, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, |
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redesignated as Chapter 107A, Health and Safety Code, and amended |
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to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 107A [SUBCHAPTER G]. OFFICE FOR THE ELIMINATION OF HEALTH |
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DISPARITIES [OF MINORITY HEALTH] |
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Sec. 107A.001 [12.081]. OFFICE FOR THE ELIMINATION OF |
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HEALTH DISPARITIES [OF MINORITY HEALTH]. The executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission |
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[department] shall [establish and] maintain an office for the |
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elimination of health disparities [of minority health] in the |
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Health and Human Services Commission [department] to: |
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(1) assume a leadership role in working or contracting |
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with state and federal agencies, universities, private interest |
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groups, communities, foundations, and offices of minority health to |
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develop [minority] health initiatives to decrease or eliminate |
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health and health access disparities among racial, multicultural, |
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disadvantaged, ethnic, and regional populations, including |
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appropriate language services [bilingual communications]; and |
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(2) maximize use of existing resources without |
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duplicating existing efforts. |
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Sec. 107A.002 [12.082]. POWERS OF OFFICE. The office may: |
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(1) provide a central information and referral source, |
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including a clearinghouse for health disparities information, and |
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serve as the primary state resource in coordinating, planning, and |
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advocating access to [minority] health care services to eliminate |
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health disparities in this state; |
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(2) coordinate conferences and other training |
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opportunities to increase skills among state agencies and |
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government staff in management and in the appreciation of cultural |
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diversity; |
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(3) pursue and administer grant funds for innovative |
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projects for communities, groups, and individuals; |
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(4) provide recommendations and training in improving |
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minority recruitment in state agencies; |
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(5) publicize information regarding health |
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disparities and minority health issues through the use of the |
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media; |
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(6) network with existing minority organizations, |
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community-based health groups, and statewide health coalitions; |
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(7) solicit, receive, and spend grants, gifts, and |
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donations from public and private sources; and |
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(8) contract with public and private entities in the |
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performance of its responsibilities. |
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Sec. 107A.003 [12.083]. FUNDING. The Health and Human |
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Services Commission [department] may distribute to the office |
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unobligated and unexpended appropriations to be used to carry out |
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its powers. |
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[Sec.
12.084.
REPORT TO LEGISLATURE.
Not later than
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January 1 of each odd-numbered year, the office shall submit a
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biennial report to the legislature regarding the activities of the
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office and any findings and recommendations relating to minority
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health issues.] |
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SECTION 2. Sections 107.001 through 107.004 and 107.008, |
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Health and Safety Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 107.001. DEFINITIONS [DEFINITION]. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services |
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Commission. |
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(2) "Executive commissioner" means the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission. |
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(3) "Health and human services agency" means a health |
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and human services agency listed by Section 531.001, Government |
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Code. |
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(4) "Task[, "task] force" means the health disparities |
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task force established under this chapter. |
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Sec. 107.002. PURPOSE. The purpose of the task force is to |
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assist the commission [department] in accomplishing the following |
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goals: |
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(1) to eliminate health and health access disparities |
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in Texas among racial, multicultural, disadvantaged, ethnic, and |
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regional populations; and |
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(2) to structure health and human services agency |
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[reorganize department] programs to eliminate health and health |
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access [those] disparities. |
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Sec. 107.003. DUTIES. (a) The task force shall: |
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(1) investigate and report on issues related to health |
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and health access disparities among racial, multicultural, |
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disadvantaged, ethnic, and regional populations; |
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(2) develop short-term and long-term strategies to |
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eliminate health and health access disparities among racial, |
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multicultural, disadvantaged, ethnic, and regional populations, |
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with a focus on structuring health and human services agency |
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[reorganizing department] programs to eliminate those disparities; |
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(3) monitor the progress of each health and human |
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services agency [the department] in: |
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(A) eliminating [the] health and health access |
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disparities; and |
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(B) structuring the agency's program activities |
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[reorganizing department programs] to eliminate the disparities; |
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and |
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(4) advise each health and human services agency [the
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department] on the implementation of any targeted programs or |
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funding authorized by the legislature to address health and health |
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access disparities. |
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(b) In performing the duties described in Subsection (a), |
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the task force shall consult with each health and human services |
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agency [the department], the Office for the Elimination of Health |
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Disparities [of Minority Health and Cultural Competency, women's
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health offices of the department], and any other relevant division |
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of the commission [the department]. |
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Sec. 107.004. REPORT. The task force shall submit a |
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biennial report on the progress of each health and human services |
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agency [the department] in accomplishing the goals described by |
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Section 107.002 to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker |
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of the house of representatives. This report may be combined with |
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any other report required of the commission [department] by law. |
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Sec. 107.008. PERSONNEL AND FACILITIES. The task force is |
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administratively attached to the commission [department]. The |
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commission [department] shall provide the necessary staff and |
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facilities to assist the task force in performing its duties. |
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SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act do not affect |
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the entitlement of a member serving on the health disparities task |
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force immediately before the effective date of this Act to continue |
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to carry out the task force's functions for the remainder of the |
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member's term. |
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SECTION 4. (a) On January 1, 2008, or on an earlier date |
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specified by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission: |
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(1) the Department of State Health Services shall |
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transfer any property, records, or personnel of the department |
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related to the administration of the Office for the Elimination of |
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Health Disparities, formerly known as the Office of Minority |
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Health, or the health disparities task force to the Health and Human |
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Services Commission to assist the commission to begin administering |
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Chapter 107, Health and Safety Code, as amended by this Act, as |
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efficiently as practicable; |
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(2) all powers, duties, functions, activities, |
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obligations, rights, contracts, records, property, and |
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appropriations or other money of the Office for the Elimination of |
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Health Disparities, formerly known as the Office of Minority |
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Health, or the health disparities task force are transferred to the |
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Health and Human Services Commission; |
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(3) a rule or form adopted by the Department of State |
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Health Services that relates to the Office for the Elimination of |
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Health Disparities, the Office of Minority Health, or the health |
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disparities task force is a rule or form of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission and remains in effect until altered by the |
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commission; and |
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(4) a reference in law or an administrative rule to the |
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Department of State Health Services that relates to the Office for |
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the Elimination of Health Disparities, the Office of Minority |
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Health, or the health disparities task force means the Health and |
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Human Services Commission. |
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(b) The Health and Human Services Commission shall take all |
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action necessary to provide for the transfer of the Office for |
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Elimination of Health Disparities, formerly known as the Office of |
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Minority Health, to the commission as soon as possible after the |
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effective date of this Act but not later than January 1, 2008. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 1396 was passed by the House on March |
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28, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 2, 2 present, not |
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voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
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No. 1396 on May 14, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 0, |
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2 present, not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 1396 was passed by the Senate, with |
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amendments, on May 8, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |