By: Lucio, et al. S.B. No. 1120
 
  (Guerra)
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to health professional continuing education to address
  communicable and other diseases in border counties.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 81, Health and Safety Code, is amended by
  adding Subchapter K to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER K.  HEALTH PROFESSIONAL CONTINUING EDUCATION TO ADDRESS
  COMMUNICABLE AND OTHER DISEASES IN BORDER COUNTIES
         Sec. 81.451.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Community health worker" has the meaning assigned
  by Section 48.001.
               (2)  "Health professional" means an individual whose:
                     (A)  vocation or profession is directly or
  indirectly related to the maintenance of the health of another
  individual; and
                     (B)  duties require a specified amount of formal
  education and may require a special examination, certificate or
  license, or membership in a regional or national association.
               (3)  "HIV" means human immunodeficiency virus.
         Sec. 81.452.  APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. This subchapter
  applies only to a county adjacent to the international border with
  Mexico.
         Sec. 81.453.  HEALTH PROFESSIONAL CONTINUING EDUCATION.
  (a)  To the extent funds are available, the department, in
  collaboration with health authorities, local health departments,
  and public health districts, shall provide to community health
  workers, health professionals, and applicable employees of a local
  health department or public health district continuing education
  designed to reduce the incidence of communicable and other diseases
  in counties described by Section 81.452.
         (b)  The continuing education described by Subsection (a)
  may address:
               (1)  the diagnosis and treatment of communicable and
  other diseases, including:
                     (A)  tuberculosis, tuberculosis meningitis,
  multidrug resistant tuberculosis, and tuberculosis and HIV
  coinfections; 
                     (B)  sexually transmitted diseases and HIV; and
                     (C)  liver diseases;
               (2)  methods for increasing pediatric and adult
  immunization rates; 
               (3)  strategies for improving health care system
  operations related to public health, including identifying,
  monitoring, tracking, and responding to communicable and other
  diseases occurring in the counties described by Section 81.452; and
               (4)  any other matter that the department determines
  will assist health professionals, local health departments, and
  public health districts with addressing public health challenges
  existing in those counties.
         (c)  The department shall identify and assess the
  accessibility of continuing education resources and programs for
  local health departments in counties described by Section 81.452
  that may provide the continuing education described by this
  section.
         Sec. 81.454.  FUNDING. (a)  The department may solicit or
  accept gifts, grants, or donations to fund health professional
  continuing education under this subchapter. 
         (b)  The department shall collaborate with state and federal
  agencies, nonprofit organizations, public and private hospitals,
  institutions of higher education, and the private sector to
  identify, apply for, and solicit sources of funding for health
  professional continuing education under this subchapter.
         SECTION 2.  The Department of State Health Services is
  required to implement a provision of this Act only if the
  legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose.  If
  the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
  purpose, the department may, but is not required to, implement a
  provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.