By: Thompson of Harris (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 3704
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2019;
  May 13, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on Health &
  Human Services; May 19, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0;
  May 19, 2019, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 3704 By:  Perry
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to certain public health data maintained by the Department
  of State Health Services and shared with certain local health
  entities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 1001, Health and Safety
  Code, is amended by adding Section 1001.089 to read as follows:
         Sec. 1001.089.  PUBLIC HEALTH DATA.  (a)  In this section:
               (1)  "Essential public health services" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 121.002.
               (2)  "Local public health entity" means a local health
  unit, local health department, or public health district.
         (b)  Notwithstanding Sections 81.103, 82.009, 88.002(b),
  92.006, and 192.002(b), the department may enter into an agreement
  with a local public health entity that provides essential public
  health services to provide the entity access to:
               (1)  identified public health data relating to the
  entity's jurisdiction and any public health data relating to a
  jurisdiction contiguous to the entity; and 
               (2)  deidentified public health data maintained by the
  department relating to the jurisdiction of any other local public
  health entity. 
         (c)  The public health data obtained through the agreement
  may be used only in the provision of essential public health
  services. 
         (d)  Access to public health data includes necessary
  identified public health data required for an infectious disease
  investigation conducted under Chapter 81. 
         (e)  For any public health data request that is not subject
  to Subsection (b), (c), or (d) and except as provided by Subsection
  (f), the department shall establish a review process for the
  consideration of public health data requests relating to essential
  public health services or public health research. The process must
  evaluate:
               (1)  the public health benefit and purpose of the
  request; 
               (2)  the privacy of the individuals whose data is
  requested; 
               (3)  the management of the data by the requestor,
  including management of public health data released to the
  requestor in previous requests; and 
               (4)  other relevant law.
         (f)  A local public health entity seeking public health data
  for human subject research purposes must submit a request to the
  department's institutional review board for review and
  consideration.
         (g)  A local public health entity receiving public health
  data from the department under this section shall:
               (1)  maintain the integrity and security of the data;
  and
               (2)  comply with state and federal privacy laws. 
         SECTION 2.  The executive commissioner of the Health and
  Human Services Commission shall adopt rules to implement Section
  1001.089(e), Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
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