Bill Text: TX SB1120 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: Relating to health professional continuing education to address communicable and other diseases in border counties.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-05-21 - Placed on General State Calendar [SB1120 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-SB1120-Comm_Sub.html

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By: Lucio, et al. S.B. No. 1120
(Guerra)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to health professional continuing education to address
communicable and other diseases in border counties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 81, Health and Safety Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter K to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER K. HEALTH PROFESSIONAL CONTINUING EDUCATION TO ADDRESS
COMMUNICABLE AND OTHER DISEASES IN BORDER COUNTIES
Sec. 81.451. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Community health worker" has the meaning assigned
by Section 48.001.
(2) "Health professional" means an individual whose:
(A) vocation or profession is directly or
indirectly related to the maintenance of the health of another
individual; and
(B) duties require a specified amount of formal
education and may require a special examination, certificate or
license, or membership in a regional or national association.
(3) "HIV" means human immunodeficiency virus.
Sec. 81.452. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. This subchapter
applies only to a county adjacent to the international border with
Mexico.
Sec. 81.453. HEALTH PROFESSIONAL CONTINUING EDUCATION.
(a) To the extent funds are available, the department, in
collaboration with health authorities, local health departments,
and public health districts, shall provide to community health
workers, health professionals, and applicable employees of a local
health department or public health district continuing education
designed to reduce the incidence of communicable and other diseases
in counties described by Section 81.452.
(b) The continuing education described by Subsection (a)
may address:
(1) the diagnosis and treatment of communicable and
other diseases, including:
(A) tuberculosis, tuberculosis meningitis,
multidrug resistant tuberculosis, and tuberculosis and HIV
coinfections;
(B) sexually transmitted diseases and HIV; and
(C) liver diseases;
(2) methods for increasing pediatric and adult
immunization rates;
(3) strategies for improving health care system
operations related to public health, including identifying,
monitoring, tracking, and responding to communicable and other
diseases occurring in the counties described by Section 81.452; and
(4) any other matter that the department determines
will assist health professionals, local health departments, and
public health districts with addressing public health challenges
existing in those counties.
(c) The department shall identify and assess the
accessibility of continuing education resources and programs for
local health departments in counties described by Section 81.452
that may provide the continuing education described by this
section.
Sec. 81.454. FUNDING. (a) The department may solicit or
accept gifts, grants, or donations to fund health professional
continuing education under this subchapter.
(b) The department shall collaborate with state and federal
agencies, nonprofit organizations, public and private hospitals,
institutions of higher education, and the private sector to
identify, apply for, and solicit sources of funding for health
professional continuing education under this subchapter.
SECTION 2. The Department of State Health Services is
required to implement a provision of this Act only if the
legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If
the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
purpose, the department may, but is not required to, implement a
provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that
purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.