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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the operation of medical supply transport vehicles |
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during a declared state of disaster. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 546, Transportation Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter C to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER C. OPERATION OF MEDICAL SUPPLY TRANSPORT VEHICLES |
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Sec. 546.051. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Emergency care facility" means a health care |
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facility, including a freestanding emergency medical care |
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facility, hospital, temporary emergency clinic, and trauma |
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facility, that provides emergency medical care. |
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(2) "Freestanding emergency medical care facility" |
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means a facility licensed under Chapter 254, Health and Safety |
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Code. |
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(3) "Medical supply distributor" means a person |
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authorized to transport prescription drugs and other medical |
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supplies to emergency care facilities or pharmacies. |
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(4) "Pharmacy" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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551.003, Occupations Code. |
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(5) "Trauma facility" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 773.003, Health and Safety Code. |
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Sec. 546.052. MEDICAL SUPPLY TRANSPORT VEHICLES DURING |
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DECLARED DISASTER. (a) A vehicle used by a medical supply |
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distributor to transport prescription drugs and other medical |
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supplies to an emergency care facility or pharmacy located in an |
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area declared a disaster area by the governor under Chapter 418, |
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Government Code, may have access to highways, streets, and bridges |
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as if the transport vehicle were an emergency vehicle if: |
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(1) law enforcement officials in the disaster area can |
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provide adequate security to protect the prescription drugs and |
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other medical supplies from theft; |
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(2) the weight of the transport vehicle will not |
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jeopardize the structural integrity of any highway, street, or |
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bridge located in the disaster area; and |
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(3) the transport vehicle will not negatively impact |
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evacuation activities or any response or recovery activities in the |
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disaster area. |
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(b) The Texas Division of Emergency Management shall: |
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(1) establish procedures to assist medical supply |
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distributors in accessing highways, streets, and bridges as |
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authorized by Subsection (a); and |
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(2) provide medical supply distributors with |
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documentation specifying the distributors' access to highways, |
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streets, and bridges as authorized by Subsection (a). |
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SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2018, the Texas |
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Division of Emergency Management shall establish the procedures |
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required by Section 546.052(b), Transportation Code, as added by |
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this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |