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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Rita Littlefield Chronic Kidney Disease Centralized |
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Resource Center established within the Department of State Health |
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Services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle D, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 83A to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 83A. RITA LITTLEFIELD CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE CENTRALIZED |
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RESOURCE CENTER |
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Sec. 83A.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "resource |
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center" means the Rita Littlefield Chronic Kidney Disease |
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Centralized Resource Center established under this chapter. |
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Sec. 83A.002. ESTABLISHMENT OF RESOURCE CENTER. The Rita |
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Littlefield Chronic Kidney Disease Centralized Resource Center is |
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established within the department to serve as a centralized system |
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through which persons may request and obtain information on chronic |
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kidney disease and related illnesses, including each level of |
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kidney disease and end stage renal disease. |
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Sec. 83A.003. ADMINISTRATION OF RESOURCE CENTER. (a) The |
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department shall administer the resource center in accordance with |
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this chapter. |
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(b) The department shall structure and operate the resource |
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center in a manner that provides a comprehensive approach for |
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readily accessing information on and resources for chronic kidney |
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disease and related illnesses and registering in a clinical |
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registry and trial network, including each level of kidney disease |
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and end stage renal disease. The approach must allow individuals to |
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request, obtain and register and to directly access aggregated |
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information on: |
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(1) chronic kidney disease awareness, prevention, and |
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professional education opportunities, including: |
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(A) awareness campaigns for chronic kidney |
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disease and related illnesses; |
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(B) information on accessing free screenings for |
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chronic kidney disease and related illnesses; |
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(C) professional resources and continuing |
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education opportunities for health care providers who treat |
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patients with chronic kidney disease or related illnesses; |
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(D) establish and maintain a kidney Health |
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Clinical Registry and Trial Network so that patients and extended |
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family members with end stage renal disease or chronic kidney |
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disease can register themselves to receive educational information |
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and opportunities to engage in clinical trials modified to their |
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chronic kidney disease stage; and |
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(E) information on chronic kidney disease |
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partners, including chronic kidney disease patient advocates, |
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dialysis professionals, health care providers, researchers, |
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manufacturers, and other appropriate persons; |
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(2) patient and family resources, including: |
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(A) educational resources containing general and |
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specific chronic kidney disease information; |
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(B) resources containing information on chronic |
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kidney disease prevention and early detection of chronic kidney |
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disease and related illnesses; |
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(C) nutritional and metabolism information for |
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individuals with chronic kidney disease and related illnesses; |
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(D) resources appropriately tailored to provide |
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information on chronic kidney disease and related illnesses to |
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individuals within groups that experience health disparities, |
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including racial minorities; |
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(E) directories for physicians who specialize in |
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kidney health; and |
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(F) programs through which an individual may |
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obtain a kidney donation or be placed on a kidney donation list; and |
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(3) resources on chronic kidney disease treatment |
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options and modalities, including: |
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(A) kidney donations and kidney transplantation |
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initiatives; |
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(B) deceased and living organ donation programs |
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and initiatives; |
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(C) organ recipient registries; |
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(D) treatment options for chronic kidney disease |
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and end stage renal disease; |
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(E) financial assistance for obtaining treatment |
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for chronic kidney disease or related illnesses; and |
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(F) options for receiving treatment for chronic |
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kidney disease or related illnesses through the use of telehealth |
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or telemedicine medical services, as defined by Section 111.001, |
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Occupations Code. |
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(c) The department shall ensure information provided by the |
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resource center is available in both English and Spanish. |
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Sec. 83A.004. INTERNET WEBSITE. In collaboration with the |
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Chronic Kidney Disease Task Force established under Chapter 83, the |
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department shall establish and the resource center shall maintain |
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an Internet website through which resource center employees and |
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members of the public may directly communicate and exchange |
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information on chronic kidney disease and related illnesses. |
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Sec. 83A.005. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The department |
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may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source |
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to implement this chapter. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Department of State Health Services shall |
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establish the Rita Littlefield Chronic Kidney Disease Centralized |
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Resource Center required by Chapter 83A, Health and Safety Code, as |
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added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |