Bill Text: TX SB1122 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of a sanitarian recruitment and retention program in border counties for public health purposes.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-05-16 - Committee report sent to Calendars [SB1122 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SB1122-Comm_Sub.html
| By: Lucio, et al. | S.B. No. 1122 | |
| (Guerra) | ||
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| relating to the establishment of a sanitarian recruitment and | ||
| retention program in border counties for public health purposes. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 121, Health and Safety | ||
| Code, is amended by adding Section 121.0055 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 121.0055. SANITARIAN RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION | ||
| PROGRAM IN BORDER COUNTIES. (a) This section applies only to a | ||
| local health unit, local health department, or public health | ||
| district that is: | ||
| (1) located in a county along the international border | ||
| with Mexico; and | ||
| (2) affiliated with the department under Section | ||
| 121.005. | ||
| (b) To the extent funds are available, the department shall | ||
| develop a program under which the department: | ||
| (1) provides grants to local health units, local | ||
| health departments, and public health districts to improve | ||
| recruitment and retention of sanitarians registered under Chapter | ||
| 1953, Occupations Code; and | ||
| (2) expands opportunities for training and | ||
| registration of sanitarians to improve disease response and prevent | ||
| foodborne, waterborne, vector-borne, and zoonotic diseases. | ||
| (c) The department shall administer the grant program | ||
| described by Subsection (b) in coordination with local health | ||
| units, local health departments, public health districts, and | ||
| appropriate state agencies, federal agencies, nonprofit | ||
| organizations, public and private hospitals, institutions of | ||
| higher education, and other private entities. | ||
| (d) The department may provide a grant under Subsection (b) | ||
| only in accordance with a contract between the department and the | ||
| recipient. The contract must include provisions under which the | ||
| department is granted sufficient control to ensure the public | ||
| purpose of improved public health is accomplished and the state | ||
| receives the return benefit. | ||
| (e) The department may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and | ||
| donations to operate the program established under this section. | ||
| The department shall coordinate with appropriate state agencies, | ||
| federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, public and private | ||
| hospitals, institutions of higher education, and other private | ||
| entities in identifying and soliciting funding to implement this | ||
| section. | ||
| 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. | ||
