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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study on the feasibility of providing vaccines to |
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first responders deployed to a disaster area. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) In this Act: |
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(1) "Department" means the Department of State Health |
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Services. |
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(2) "Disaster" means: |
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(A) a public health disaster as defined by |
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Section 81.003, Health and Safety Code; |
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(B) a natural or man-made disaster; |
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(C) a terrorist attack; |
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(D) a hostile military or paramilitary action; |
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(E) an extraordinary law enforcement emergency; |
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or |
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(F) any other state of disaster declared under |
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Chapter 418, Government Code. |
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(3) "First responder" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 421.095, Government Code. |
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(b) The department shall conduct a study to determine the |
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feasibility of providing vaccines to: |
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(1) a first responder who may be exposed to |
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vaccine-preventable diseases during the responder's deployment to |
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a disaster area; and |
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(2) the immediate family members of a first responder |
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to whom the first responder may transmit a vaccine-preventable |
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disease after deployment to a disaster area. |
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(c) The study must consider the feasibility of providing the |
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following vaccines: |
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(1) the hepatitis B vaccine for first responders who |
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may be in direct contact with blood and other bodily fluids; |
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(2) a tetanus-containing vaccine; and |
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(3) other vaccines or biologicals recommended by the |
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for disasters. |
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(d) The department shall: |
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(1) assess the vaccination status of first responders |
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and their immediate family members in this state; |
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(2) assess workplace immunization policies and |
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insurance coverage for first responders; |
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(3) make recommendations on educating first |
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responders and their immediate family members about available |
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options to obtain immunization services, regardless of insurance |
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coverage; |
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(4) assess the current ability of the department, in |
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conjunction with local health departments, to provide vaccines to |
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first responders and their immediate family members who are |
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uninsured or underinsured; |
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(5) identify and recommend funding sources for the |
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procurement of recommended vaccines for first responders and their |
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immediate family members who are uninsured or underinsured; and |
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(6) evaluate the potential use and cost of providing |
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other biologicals, such as immune globulin, to be used in |
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conjunction with vaccines to prevent the spread of |
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vaccine-preventable diseases. |
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(e) The statewide wellness coordinator designated under |
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Section 664.053(a), Government Code, shall assist the department in |
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obtaining data from state agencies that employ first responders by: |
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(1) consulting with the wellness liaison identified |
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under Section 664.053(d), Government Code, for a state agency that |
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employs first responders to gain study-related information from the |
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state agency; |
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(2) assessing the readiness of each state agency to |
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administer vaccines to the agency's first responders before |
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deployment to a disaster area; and |
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(3) providing to the department appropriate |
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information from state agencies regarding the current immunization |
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policies of those agencies. |
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(f) Not later than August 1, 2011, the department shall |
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submit to the legislature a written report containing the findings |
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of the study and the department's recommendations. |
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(g) This section expires September 1, 2011. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |