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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an alert system for public health or safety threat |
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notifications. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 161, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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by adding Subchapter X to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER X. PUBLIC HEALTH ALERTS |
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Sec. 161.701. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Alert" means a public health alert for public |
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health emergencies developed and implemented statewide under this |
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subchapter. |
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(2) "Governmental entity" means a state agency or a |
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political subdivision of this state. |
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Sec. 161.702. ALERT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES. With |
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the cooperation of the office of the governor and other appropriate |
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state agencies, the department may develop and implement an alert |
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to be activated on a report to the department of a public health |
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emergency. |
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Sec. 161.703. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The commissioner is the |
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statewide coordinator of the alert. |
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(b) The executive commissioner may adopt rules and the |
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commissioner may issue directives as necessary to ensure proper |
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implementation of an alert. The rules and directives must include: |
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(1) the procedures for identifying a public health |
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emergency; |
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(2) a description of the circumstances under which a |
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governmental entity is required to report a public health emergency |
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to the department; and |
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(3) the procedures for reporting information about a |
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public health emergency to designated media outlets in this state. |
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Sec. 161.704. ALERT APPLICATION. The department may |
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partner with a nonprofit software developer to develop and maintain |
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an electronic application to increase the effectiveness, delivery, |
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and reliability of an alert. The department may not charge a fee |
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for use of the application developed under this section. |
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Sec. 161.705. NOTIFICATION TO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH |
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EMERGENCY. (a) A governmental entity shall notify the department |
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of a public health emergency if the department establishes an alert |
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under this subchapter and the entity: |
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(1) receives notice of a suspected public health |
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emergency; |
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(2) verifies the suspected public health emergency; |
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and |
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(3) determines the suspected public health emergency |
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poses a credible threat to the public's health and safety. |
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(b) The governmental entity shall, as soon as practicable, |
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determine whether a suspected public health emergency poses a |
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credible threat to the public's health and safety for purposes of |
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Subsection (a)(3). |
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Sec. 161.706. ACTIVATION OF ALERT. (a) On notification of |
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a public health emergency by a governmental entity under Section |
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161.705, the department shall confirm the accuracy of the |
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information and, if confirmed, immediately issue an alert under |
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this subchapter in accordance with department rules. |
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(b) In issuing the alert, the department shall: |
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(1) provide the alert by text message and through any |
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application developed under Section 161.704 to each person in the |
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area threatened by the public health emergency; and |
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(2) send the alert to designated media outlets in this |
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state. |
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(c) On receipt of an alert under Subsection (b)(2), |
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participating radio stations, television stations, and other media |
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outlets may issue the alert at designated intervals to assist in |
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notifying the public of the public health emergency. |
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Sec. 161.707. CONTENT OF ALERT. An alert must include all |
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appropriate information provided by the governmental entity under |
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Section 161.705 that may assist the public in avoiding illness or |
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injury during the public health emergency. |
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Sec. 161.708. TERMINATION OF ALERT. (a) The commissioner |
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shall terminate any activation of an alert for a public health |
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emergency not later than the earlier of the date on which: |
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(1) the public health emergency is resolved; or |
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(2) the notification period ends, as determined by |
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department rule. |
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(b) A governmental entity that provides information to the |
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department under Section 161.705 shall notify the department as |
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soon as possible once a public health emergency is resolved. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |