86R3303 LED-F
 
  By: Wu H.B. No. 1360
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to prevention of communicable diseases in certain
  long-term care facilities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 81.003, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by amending Subdivision (4-a) and adding Subdivision (4-b)
  to read as follows:
               (4-a)  "Long-term care facility" means a facility
  licensed or regulated under Chapter 242, 247, or 252.
               (4-b)  "Peace officer" has the meaning assigned by
  Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure. The term includes a
  sheriff or constable.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 81, Health and Safety
  Code, is amended by adding Sections 81.014 and 81.015 to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 81.014.  LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY INFECTION PREVENTION
  AND CONTROL PROGRAM.  (a)  Each long-term care facility's infection
  prevention and control program must include:
               (1)  monitoring of key infectious agents,
  including multidrug-resistant organisms;
               (2)  procedures for communicating the presence of
  multidrug-resistant organism infections when admitting a resident
  to or transferring a resident from the facility; and
               (3)  procedures for making rapid influenza diagnostic
  tests available to facility residents.
         (b)  Subject to the confidentiality requirements of this
  chapter, the commission shall ensure that each long-term care
  facility's infection prevention and control program includes a
  requirement for the facility to report to the health authority or
  the department when two or more confirmed cases of influenza occur
  among facility residents within a 72-hour period.
         Sec. 81.015.  ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP REGIONAL ADVISORY
  COMMITTEES. (a)  The department shall establish a regional
  advisory committee in each public health region designated under
  Section 121.007 to address antimicrobial stewardship in long-term
  care facilities and to improve antimicrobial stewardship through
  collaborative action.
         (b)  A regional advisory committee established under this
  section must include: 
               (1)  physicians;
               (2)  directors of nursing or equivalent consultants
  with long-term care facilities;
               (3)  public health officials knowledgeable about
  antimicrobial stewardship; and
               (4)  other interested parties.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.