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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to dissemination of bacterial meningitis information by |
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school districts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 38.0025(a) and (c), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The Department of State Health Services [agency] shall |
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prescribe procedures by which each school district shall provide |
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information relating to bacterial meningitis to its students and |
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their parents each school year. The procedures must ensure that the |
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information is reasonably likely to come to the attention of the |
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parents of each student. The department [agency] shall prescribe |
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the form and content of the information. The information must |
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cover: |
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(1) the symptoms of the disease, how it may be |
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diagnosed, and its possible consequences if untreated; |
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(2) how the disease is transmitted, how it may be |
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prevented, and the relative risk of contracting the disease for |
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primary and secondary school students; |
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(3) the availability and effectiveness of vaccination |
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against and treatment for the disease, and a brief description of |
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the risks and possible side effects of vaccination; and |
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(4) sources of additional information regarding the |
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disease, including any appropriate office of the school district |
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and the appropriate office of the department [Texas Department of
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Health]. |
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(c) A school district, with the written consent of the |
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Department of State Health Services [agency], may provide the |
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information required by this section to its students and their |
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parents by a method different from the method prescribed by the |
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department [agency] under Subsection (a) if the department [agency] |
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determines that method would be effective in bringing the |
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information to the attention of the parents of each student. |
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SECTION 2. Section 38.0025(b), Education Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 4. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Department of State Health Services shall develop |
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the procedures under Section 38.0025, Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act. |
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SECTION 5. 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, 2017. |