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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the study and prevention of opioid overdoses occurring |
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in this state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 1001, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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by adding Subchapter K to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER K. OPIOID OVERDOSES |
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Sec. 1001.261. OPIOID OVERDOSE STUDY. (a) The department |
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shall use vital statistics information and any other relevant data |
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maintained by or available to the department to conduct an ongoing |
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study on opioid overdoses occurring in this state. |
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(b) The department shall examine and investigate all |
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relevant aspects of opioid overdoses, including: |
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(1) the specific opioids responsible for overdoses and |
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deaths; |
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(2) the populations most vulnerable to opioid misuse; |
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and |
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(3) the regions of the state most affected by adverse |
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impacts related to opioid misuse. |
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(c) The department shall regularly update and make |
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available on the department's Internet website the findings of the |
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study, except that the department may not publicly disclose the |
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identity of any patient, health care provider, or health care |
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facility. |
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Sec. 1001.262. PLAN. (a) Based on the investigation and |
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study under Section 1001.261, the department, under the direction |
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of the commission and in consultation with appropriate agencies, |
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shall develop and periodically revise a state plan for the |
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prevention of opioid overdoses and opioid-related deaths in the |
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populations most vulnerable to opioid misuse leading to death and |
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within the most affected regions. |
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(b) The department shall review and modify as necessary the |
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state plan developed under this section at least once every five |
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years. |
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(c) The department shall biennially submit to the |
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legislature updated legislative recommendations developed under |
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this section. |
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Sec. 1001.263. COOPERATION WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. The |
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department shall make statistics concerning opioid misuse |
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available to affected local governments and shall, to the extent |
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appropriate, share with those governments information concerning |
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community approaches and best practices for reducing opioid misuse |
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and opioid-related deaths. |
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SECTION 2. The Department of State Health Services shall |
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submit to the legislature the department's initial plan and |
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legislative recommendations under Section 1001.262, Health and |
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Safety Code, as added by this Act, not later than November 1, 2022. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |