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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the Communicable Disease and |
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Public Health Center. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to: |
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(1) address the communicable disease and public health |
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challenges of the international border region; |
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(2) develop a unified message that will enable this |
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state to: |
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(A) maximize the use of local resources; |
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(B) increase efficiency and reduce duplication |
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of staff resources; and |
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(C) strengthen collaboration with local |
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governmental entities; and |
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(3) foster a greater local and regional capacity to |
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address the diseases and allow the border region and this state to |
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capitalize on the expertise and insight of local health |
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professionals and departments to better serve the border |
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communities and region and this state. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 81, Health and Safety Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter K to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER K. COMMUNICABLE DISEASE AND PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER |
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Sec. 81.451. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "center" |
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means the Communicable Disease and Public Health Center established |
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under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 81.452. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO ESTABLISH |
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CENTER. The department shall enter into a memorandum of |
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understanding with a county located on an international border that |
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has a population of at least 700,000 and that has as its county seat |
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a municipality with a population of less than 100,000 to establish |
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and jointly operate a Communicable Disease and Public Health |
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Center. |
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Sec. 81.453. DONATION OF LAND. The governing body of a |
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county described by Section 81.452, or a municipality in that |
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county, may donate real property to the department for the center. |
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The donation may be in fee simple or otherwise. |
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Sec. 81.454. ASSISTANCE FROM MUNICIPALITY. The local |
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health department of a county that enters into a memorandum of |
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understanding under Section 81.452 may seek the assistance of a |
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municipality in the local health department's jurisdiction to |
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establish and operate the center. |
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Sec. 81.455. COMMUNICABLE DISEASE AND PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER. |
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(a) The center shall: |
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(1) provide a central repository of vector control |
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resources for municipalities in a county described by Section |
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81.452 and counties adjacent to that county; |
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(2) develop local surveillance, outreach, and |
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response campaigns to address communicable disease and potential |
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vectors of communicable disease; |
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(3) provide local, regional, and international |
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health-related briefings; |
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(4) cooperate with local, regional, state, and |
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international officials to: |
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(A) increase environmental awareness to reduce |
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sources for vector development; and |
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(B) develop recommendations for implementing |
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nuisance abatement policies; |
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(5) with the assistance of appropriate authorities, |
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facilitate trapping, adulticiding, and larviciding of vector |
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populations along the international border; |
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(6) provide to health care professionals current |
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information, including health advisories and guidance with |
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communicable disease case management, regarding communicable |
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disease and potential vectors of communicable disease; |
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(7) in cooperation with federal and international |
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partners, educate and provide health care screenings to populations |
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at high risk of contracting a communicable disease that are |
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traditionally difficult to contact, including individuals not |
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lawfully present in the United States; and |
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(8) facilitate information sharing between local |
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entities. |
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(b) A local campaign developed under Subsection (a)(2) must |
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be in both English and Spanish. |
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(c) The center may serve as a call center for concerns |
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regarding communicable disease and public health along the |
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international border. |
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(d) A local health department in each county adjacent to an |
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international border shall report to the center information |
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regarding: |
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(1) incidents of communicable disease in the county; |
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(2) public health challenges in the county; and |
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(3) any other public health or communicable disease |
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issue, as required by the department. |
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(e) The local health department of a county that enters into |
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a memorandum of understanding under Section 81.452 shall: |
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(1) collaborate with the local health department of |
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each adjoining county; and |
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(2) meet with a representative of each local health |
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department described by Subdivision (1) at least monthly to discuss |
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the health status of each county and address the occurrence and |
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control of communicable disease in each county. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |