Bill Text: TX SB1121 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: Relating to public health laboratory capabilities in certain counties.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-05-16 - Committee report sent to Calendars [SB1121 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-SB1121-Comm_Sub.html

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By: Lucio, et al. S.B. No. 1121
(Guerra)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to public health laboratory capabilities in certain
counties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 12, Health and Safety Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter K to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER K. PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY CAPABILITIES IN CERTAIN
COUNTIES
Sec. 12.151. PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY REPORT. (a) Not
later than September 1, 2020, the department shall prepare and
submit a written or electronic report to the legislature on public
laboratories in this state's counties that are adjacent to an
international border. The report must include:
(1) information on the existing testing capabilities
of the public laboratories, focusing on clinical, environmental,
and zoonotic testing capabilities; and
(2) recommendations to increase the efficiency,
effectiveness, and productivity of the public laboratories through
administrative action and legislation.
(b) The department shall collaborate with local health
departments established under Subchapter D, Chapter 121, and public
and private testing laboratories to collect information and develop
recommendations for the report described by Subsection (a).
(c) This section expires September 1, 2021.
Sec. 12.152. LOCAL AGREEMENTS. Using available resources
and as determined appropriate by the department, the department
shall enter into agreements with institutions of higher education
as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, and public and
private testing laboratories in this state to increase the
availability of public health laboratory services for local health
departments established under Subchapter D, Chapter 121, in
counties adjacent to an international border. The agreements must
establish protocols that:
(1) ensure confidentiality of the laboratory testing;
(2) require the testing procedures to satisfy state
standards for laboratory testing;
(3) provide cost-effective resources to the local
health departments to increase the availability of laboratory
testing in the border counties;
(4) enhance the laboratory testing capacity,
including testing of human and nonhuman specimens, in the border
counties; and
(5) ensure the efficiency, effectiveness, and
accuracy of laboratory test results.
Sec. 12.153. YEAR-ROUND ACCESS TO LABORATORY TESTING FOR
VECTOR-BORNE INFECTIOUS DISEASES. Using available resources and as
determined appropriate by the department, the department shall
support access to year-round laboratory testing for vector-borne
infectious diseases to record and address local outbreaks of
vector-borne infectious diseases in the counties of this state that
are most at risk for the year-round outbreaks, including Maverick,
Val Verde, Webb, Zapata, Starr, Hidalgo, Willacy, and Cameron
Counties. The department may make the access directly available or
through a local agreement entered into under Section 12.152. The
testing may include, as appropriate:
(1) arboviral testing;
(2) speciation testing;
(3) PCR testing;
(4) IgM testing;
(5) IgG testing; and
(6) any other testing the department determines
appropriate.
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.