| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the establishment of the Texas Epidemic Public Health |
|
|
Institute. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 75 Education Code is amended by adding: |
|
|
SUBCHAPTER D. TEXAS EPIDEMIC PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE. |
|
|
Sec. 75.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
|
|
(1) "public health reserve network" means a network of |
|
|
public health professionals and community health |
|
|
workers, state and local public health agencies, |
|
|
healthcare organizations, university partners |
|
|
throughout Texas, and other relevant organizations and |
|
|
people. |
|
|
(2) "Institute" means the Texas Epidemic Public Health |
|
|
Institute at the University of Texas Health Science |
|
|
Center at Houston. |
|
|
Sec. 75.301. ESTABLISHMENT. This subchapter establishes the |
|
|
Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute at the University of Texas |
|
|
Health Science Center at Houston. |
|
|
Sec. 75.302. ROLE AND SCOPE. (a) The Institute shall |
|
|
establish and maintain a public health reserve network to protect |
|
|
public health and to support pandemic and epidemic disaster |
|
|
preparedness and response components of the state emergency |
|
|
management plan required by Section 418.042. |
|
|
(b) The Department of State Health Services shall provide the |
|
|
Institute with access to relevant and timely data to perform its |
|
|
duties. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 418.042, Government Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(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 matter relating to disasters. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |