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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to public health laboratory testing capabilities in |
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certain counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 12, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Sections 12.0725, 12.073, and 12.074 to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.0725. PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY REPORT. (a) Not |
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later than September 1, 2022, the department shall prepare and |
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submit a written or electronic report to the legislature on public |
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laboratories in counties adjacent to the Texas-Mexico border. The |
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report must include: |
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(1) information on the existing testing capabilities |
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of the public laboratories, focusing on clinical, environmental, |
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and zoonotic testing capabilities; and |
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(2) recommendations to increase the efficiency, |
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effectiveness, and productivity of the public laboratories through |
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administrative action and legislation. |
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(b) The department shall collaborate with local health |
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departments established under Subchapter D, Chapter 121, and public |
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and private testing laboratories to collect information and develop |
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recommendations for the report. |
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(c) This section expires September 1, 2023. |
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Sec. 12.073. LOCAL AGREEMENTS TO INCREASE LABORATORY |
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TESTING. (a) Using available resources and as the department |
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determines appropriate, the department shall enter into agreements |
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with institutions of higher education as defined by Section 61.003, |
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Education Code, and public and private testing laboratories in this |
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state to increase the availability of public health laboratory |
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testing services for local health departments established under |
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Subchapter D, Chapter 121, in counties adjacent to the Texas-Mexico |
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border. |
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(b) The agreements must establish protocols that: |
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(1) ensure confidentiality of the laboratory testing; |
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(2) require the testing procedures to satisfy state |
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standards for laboratory testing; |
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(3) provide cost-effective resources to local health |
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departments to increase the availability of laboratory testing in |
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border counties; |
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(4) enhance the laboratory testing capacity, |
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including testing of human and nonhuman specimens, in border |
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counties; and |
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(5) ensure the efficiency, effectiveness, and |
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accuracy of laboratory test results. |
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Sec. 12.074. YEAR-ROUND ACCESS TO LABORATORY TESTING FOR |
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VECTOR-BORNE AND ZOONOTIC DISEASES. (a) Using available resources |
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and as the department determines appropriate, the department shall |
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support access to year-round laboratory testing for vector-borne |
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and zoonotic diseases to record and address local outbreaks of |
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vector-borne and zoonotic diseases in border counties that are most |
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at risk for the year-round outbreaks, including Maverick, Val |
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Verde, Webb, Zapata, Starr, Hidalgo, Willacy, and Cameron Counties. |
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(b) The department may directly authorize access to the |
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testing or may enter into a local agreement under Section 12.073 to |
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authorize access to the testing. The testing may include, as |
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appropriate: |
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(1) arboviral testing; |
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(2) speciation testing; |
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(3) PCR testing; |
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(4) IgM testing; |
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(5) IgG testing; and |
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(6) any other testing the department determines |
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appropriate. |
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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, 2021. |