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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to health professional continuing education to address |
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communicable and other diseases in border counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 81, Health and Safety Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter K to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER K. HEALTH PROFESSIONAL CONTINUING EDUCATION TO ADDRESS |
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COMMUNICABLE AND OTHER DISEASES IN BORDER COUNTIES |
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Sec. 81.451. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Community health worker" has the meaning assigned |
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by Section 48.001. |
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(2) "Health professional" means an individual whose: |
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(A) vocation or profession is directly or |
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indirectly related to the maintenance of the health of another |
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individual; and |
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(B) duties require a specified amount of formal |
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education and may require a special examination, certificate or |
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license, or membership in a regional or national association. |
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(3) "HIV" means human immunodeficiency virus. |
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Sec. 81.452. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. This subchapter |
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applies only to a county adjacent to the international border with |
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Mexico. |
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Sec. 81.453. HEALTH PROFESSIONAL CONTINUING EDUCATION. |
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(a) To the extent funds are available, the department, in |
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collaboration with health authorities, local health departments, |
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and public health districts, shall provide to community health |
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workers, health professionals, and applicable employees of a local |
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health department or public health district continuing education |
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designed to reduce the incidence of communicable and other diseases |
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in counties described by Section 81.452. |
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(b) The continuing education described by Subsection (a) |
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may address: |
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(1) the diagnosis and treatment of communicable and |
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other diseases, including: |
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(A) tuberculosis, tuberculosis meningitis, |
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multidrug resistant tuberculosis, and tuberculosis and HIV |
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coinfections; |
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(B) sexually transmitted diseases and HIV; and |
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(C) liver diseases; |
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(2) methods for increasing pediatric and adult |
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immunization rates; |
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(3) strategies for improving health care system |
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operations related to public health, including identifying, |
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monitoring, tracking, and responding to communicable and other |
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diseases occurring in the counties described by Section 81.452; and |
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(4) any other matter that the department determines |
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will assist health professionals, local health departments, and |
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public health districts with addressing public health challenges |
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existing in those counties. |
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(c) The department shall identify and assess the |
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accessibility of continuing education resources and programs for |
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local health departments in counties described by Section 81.452 |
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that may provide the continuing education described by this |
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section. |
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Sec. 81.454. FUNDING. (a) The department may solicit or |
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accept gifts, grants, or donations to fund health professional |
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continuing education under this subchapter. |
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(b) The department shall collaborate with state and federal |
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agencies, nonprofit organizations, public and private hospitals, |
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institutions of higher education, and the private sector to |
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identify, apply for, and solicit sources of funding for health |
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professional continuing education under this subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. The Department of State Health Services is |
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required to implement a provision of this Act only if the |
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legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If |
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the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that |
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purpose, the department may, but is not required to, implement a |
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provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |