Bill Text: TX SB1858 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to an alert system for public health or safety threat notifications.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-23 - Referred to Health & Human Services [SB1858 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB1858-Introduced.html
85R11017 JG-D | ||
By: Lucio | S.B. No. 1858 |
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relating to an alert system for public health or safety threat | ||
notifications. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 161, Health and Safety Code, is amended | ||
by adding Subchapter X to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER X. PUBLIC HEALTH ALERTS | ||
Sec. 161.701. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
(1) "Alert" means a public health alert for public | ||
health emergencies developed and implemented statewide under this | ||
subchapter. | ||
(2) "Governmental entity" means a state agency or a | ||
political subdivision of this state. | ||
Sec. 161.702. ALERT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES. With | ||
the cooperation of the office of the governor and other appropriate | ||
state agencies, the department may develop and implement an alert | ||
to be activated on a report to the department of a public health | ||
emergency. | ||
Sec. 161.703. ADMINISTRATION. (a) The commissioner is the | ||
statewide coordinator of the alert. | ||
(b) The executive commissioner may adopt rules and the | ||
commissioner may issue directives as necessary to ensure proper | ||
implementation of an alert. The rules and directives must include: | ||
(1) the procedures for identifying a public health | ||
emergency; | ||
(2) a description of the circumstances under which a | ||
governmental entity is required to report a public health emergency | ||
to the department; and | ||
(3) the procedures for reporting information about a | ||
public health emergency to designated media outlets in this state. | ||
Sec. 161.704. ALERT APPLICATION. The department may | ||
partner with a nonprofit software developer to develop and maintain | ||
an electronic application to increase the effectiveness, delivery, | ||
and reliability of an alert. The department may not charge a fee | ||
for use of the application developed under this section. | ||
Sec. 161.705. NOTIFICATION TO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH | ||
EMERGENCY. (a) A governmental entity shall notify the department | ||
of a public health emergency if the department establishes an alert | ||
under this subchapter and the entity: | ||
(1) receives notice of a suspected public health | ||
emergency; | ||
(2) verifies the suspected public health emergency; | ||
and | ||
(3) determines the suspected public health emergency | ||
poses a credible threat to the public's health and safety. | ||
(b) The governmental entity shall, as soon as practicable, | ||
determine whether a suspected public health emergency poses a | ||
credible threat to the public's health and safety for purposes of | ||
Subsection (a)(3). | ||
Sec. 161.706. ACTIVATION OF ALERT. (a) On notification of | ||
a public health emergency by a governmental entity under Section | ||
161.705, the department shall confirm the accuracy of the | ||
information and, if confirmed, immediately issue an alert under | ||
this subchapter in accordance with department rules. | ||
(b) In issuing the alert, the department shall: | ||
(1) provide the alert by text message and through any | ||
application developed under Section 161.704 to each person in the | ||
area threatened by the public health emergency; and | ||
(2) send the alert to designated media outlets in this | ||
state. | ||
(c) On receipt of an alert under Subsection (b)(2), | ||
participating radio stations, television stations, and other media | ||
outlets may issue the alert at designated intervals to assist in | ||
notifying the public of the public health emergency. | ||
Sec. 161.707. CONTENT OF ALERT. An alert must include all | ||
appropriate information provided by the governmental entity under | ||
Section 161.705 that may assist the public in avoiding illness or | ||
injury during the public health emergency. | ||
Sec. 161.708. TERMINATION OF ALERT. (a) The commissioner | ||
shall terminate any activation of an alert for a public health | ||
emergency not later than the earlier of the date on which: | ||
(1) the public health emergency is resolved; or | ||
(2) the notification period ends, as determined by | ||
department rule. | ||
(b) A governmental entity that provides information to the | ||
department under Section 161.705 shall notify the department as | ||
soon as possible once a public health emergency is resolved. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |