By: Creighton, et al. S.B. No. 1780
 
  (Burrows, Walle, Bonnen)
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the protection of public health in this state,
  including through the establishment of the Texas Epidemic Public
  Health Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center
  at Houston.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 61.003(6), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
               (6)  "Other agency of higher education" means The
  University of Texas System, System Administration; The University
  of Texas at El Paso Museum; Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute
  at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; The
  Texas A&M University System, Administrative and General Offices;
  Texas A&M AgriLife Research; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service;
  Rodent and Predatory Animal Control Service (a part of the Texas A&M
  AgriLife Extension Service); Texas A&M Engineering Experiment
  Station (including the Texas A&M Transportation Institute); Texas
  A&M Engineering Extension Service; Texas A&M Forest Service; Texas
  Division of Emergency Management; Texas Tech University Museum;
  Texas State University System, System Administration; Sam Houston
  Memorial Museum; Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum; Cotton
  Research Committee of Texas; Texas Water Resources Institute; Texas
  A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory; and any other unit,
  division, institution, or agency which shall be so designated by
  statute or which may be established to operate as a component part
  of any public senior college or university, or which may be so
  classified as provided in this chapter.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 75, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter D to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER D. TEXAS EPIDEMIC PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE
         Sec. 75.301.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Board" means the board of regents of The
  University of Texas System.
               (2)  "Health science center" means The University of
  Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
               (3)  "Institute" means the Texas Epidemic Public Health
  Institute.
         Sec. 75.302.  ESTABLISHMENT. The board shall establish and
  maintain the Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute at the health
  science center.
         Sec. 75.303.  ROLE AND SCOPE. The institute shall establish
  and maintain a public health reserve network of public health
  professionals, community health workers, state and local public
  health agencies, health care organizations, universities
  throughout the state, and other relevant entities and persons for
  the purpose of coordinating efforts to:
               (1)  protect public health in this state; and
               (2)  support pandemic and epidemic disaster
  preparedness and response components of the state emergency
  management plan required by Section 418.042, Government Code.
         Sec. 75.304.  ADMINISTRATION. (a) The administration of
  the institute is under the direction of the chancellor of The
  University of Texas System and the board through the president of
  the health science center.
         (b)  The Department of State Health Services shall provide
  the institute with access to relevant and timely data necessary for
  the institute to perform its duties.
         Sec. 75.305.  GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The institute
  may accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source for the
  purposes of the institute.
         Sec. 75.306.  INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL AUDIT FOR REVIEW BY
  COMPTROLLER. (a) The institute biennially shall commission an
  independent financial audit of its activities from a certified
  public accounting firm. The institute shall provide the audit to
  the comptroller.
         (b)  The comptroller shall review and evaluate the audit and
  biennially issue a public report of that review.
         Sec. 75.307.  APPROPRIATION CONTINGENCY. The board is
  required to implement a provision of this subchapter only if the
  legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If
  the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
  purpose, the board may, but is not required to, implement the
  provision using other money available to the board for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 3.  Section 418.042(a), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  The division shall prepare and keep current a
  comprehensive state emergency management plan. The plan may
  include:
               (1)  provisions for prevention and minimization of
  injury and damage caused by disaster;
               (2)  provisions for prompt and effective response to
  disaster;
               (3)  provisions for emergency relief;
               (4)  provisions for energy emergencies;
               (5)  identification of areas particularly vulnerable
  to disasters;
               (6)  recommendations for zoning, building
  restrictions, and other land-use controls, safety measures for
  securing mobile homes or other nonpermanent or semipermanent
  structures, and other preventive and preparedness measures
  designed to eliminate or reduce disasters or their impact;
               (7)  provisions for assistance to local officials in
  designing local emergency management plans;
               (8)  authorization and procedures for the erection or
  other construction of temporary works designed to protect against
  or mitigate danger, damage, or loss from flood, fire, or other
  disaster;
               (9)  preparation and distribution to the appropriate
  state and local officials of state catalogs of federal, state, and
  private assistance programs;
               (10)  organization of manpower and channels of
  assistance;
               (11)  coordination of federal, state, and local
  emergency management activities;
               (12)  coordination of the state emergency management
  plan with the emergency management plans of the federal government;
               (13)  coordination of federal and state energy
  emergency plans;
               (14)  provisions for providing information to local
  officials on activation of the Emergency Alert System established
  under 47 C.F.R. Part 11;
               (15)  a database of public facilities that may be used
  under Section 418.017 to shelter individuals during a disaster,
  including air-conditioned facilities for shelter during an extreme
  heat disaster and fortified structures for shelter during a wind
  disaster;
               (16)  provisions for quickly replenishing the food
  supplies of area food banks or food pantries following a disaster;
  [and]
               (17)  provisions for protecting public health; and
               (18)  other necessary matters relating to disasters.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.