By: Creighton S.B. No. 1780
 
 
 
   
 
 
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.