84R10523 KKR-F
 
  By: Sheffield, Zerwas, Miller of Fort Bend, H.B. No. 2474
      Blanco, Simmons, et al.
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to requirements for and the transparency of
  epidemiological reports and immunization exemption information and
  reports.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 81.047, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 81.047.  EPIDEMIOLOGICAL REPORTS. (a) Subject to the
  confidentiality requirements of this chapter, the department shall
  require epidemiological reports of disease outbreaks and of
  individual cases of disease suspected or known to be of importance
  to the public health, including vaccine preventable diseases. The
  department shall evaluate the reports to determine the trends
  involved and the nature and magnitude of the hazards.
         (b)  The department shall prepare and submit to the
  legislature and the governor not later than December 1 of each
  even-numbered year a biennial report that contains:
               (1)  a report of outbreaks of vaccine preventable
  diseases in this state; and
               (2)  de-identified immunization exemption information,
  including the number of persons claiming an exemption from the
  immunization requirements of Section 161.004 of this code, Sections
  38.001, 51.9192, and 51.933, Education Code, and Section 42.043,
  Human Resources Code.
         SECTION 2.  Section 38.002, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (d), (e),
  and (f) to read as follows:
         (a)  Each public school shall keep an individual
  immunization record during the period of attendance for each
  student admitted. The records shall be open for inspection at all
  reasonable times by the Texas Education Agency or by
  representatives of local health departments or the [Texas]
  Department of State Health Services.
         (c)  The Texas Education Agency and the [Texas] Department of
  State Health Services shall develop the form for a required annual
  report of the immunization status of students that includes
  de-identified immunization exemption information. The report
  shall be submitted by all schools at the time and in the manner
  indicated in the instructions printed on the form.
         (d)  Each school district shall provide to the Department of
  State Health Services the information required by Subsection (c)
  for the district as a whole and for each school campus in the
  district.
         (e)  The Department of State Health Services shall make
  available to the public in electronic form, on the department's
  Internet website, the required annual report of the immunization
  status of students for each school district and for each school
  campus, submitted under Subsection (c).
         (f)  On request of a student's parent or legal guardian, a
  school district or school campus shall provide to the parent or
  guardian a copy of the information, including de-identified
  immunization exemption information, submitted under Subsection
  (c).
         SECTION 3.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the Texas Education Agency shall update the form
  required by Section 38.002(c), Education Code, as amended by this
  Act, to comply with that section and Section 38.002(d), Education
  Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016
  school year.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2015.