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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to epidemiological reports and immunization exemption |
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data and reports. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 81.047, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 81.047. EPIDEMIOLOGICAL REPORTS. (a) Subject to the |
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confidentiality requirements of this chapter, the department shall |
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require epidemiological reports of disease outbreaks and of |
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individual cases of disease suspected or known to be of importance |
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to the public health, including vaccine preventable diseases. The |
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department shall evaluate the reports to determine the trends |
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involved and the nature and magnitude of the hazards. |
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(b) The department shall prepare and submit to the |
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legislature and the governor not later than December 1 of each |
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even-numbered year a biennial report that contains: |
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(1) a report of outbreaks of vaccine preventable |
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diseases in this state; and |
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(2) de-identified immunization exemption data, |
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including the number of persons claiming an exemption from the |
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immunization requirements of Section 161.004 of this code, Sections |
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38.001, 51.9192, and 51.933, Education Code, and Section 42.043, |
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Human Resources Code. |
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SECTION 2. Section 38.002, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (d) and (e) |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) Each public school shall keep an individual |
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immunization record during the period of attendance for each |
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student admitted. The records shall be open for inspection at all |
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reasonable times by the Texas Education Agency or by |
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representatives of local health departments or the [Texas] |
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Department of State Health Services. |
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(c) The Texas Education Agency and the [Texas] Department of |
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State Health Services shall develop the form for a required annual |
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report of the immunization status of students. The report shall be |
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submitted by all schools at the time and in the manner indicated in |
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the instructions printed on the form. |
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(d) Each school district shall provide the information |
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required by Subsection (c) for the district as a whole and for each |
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school campus in the district. |
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(e) The Department of State Health Services shall make |
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available to the public in electronic form, on the department's |
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Internet website, the required annual report of the immunization |
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status of students for each school district and for each school |
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campus, submitted under Subsection (c). |
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SECTION 3. Section 38.019(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A school district that maintains an Internet website |
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shall post prominently on the website: |
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(1) a list, in English and Spanish, of: |
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(A) the immunizations required for admission to |
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public school by rules of the Department of State Health Services |
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adopted under Section 38.001; |
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(B) any immunizations or vaccines recommended |
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for public school students by the Department of State Health |
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Services; [and] |
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(C) health clinics in the district that offer the |
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influenza vaccine, to the extent those clinics are known to the |
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district; and |
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(D) de-identified immunization exemption data, |
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including the number of persons claiming an exemption from the |
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immunization requirements of Section 38.001, for the district as a |
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whole and for each school campus in the district; and |
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(2) a link to the Department of State Health Services |
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Internet website where a person may obtain information relating to |
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the procedures for claiming an exemption from the immunization |
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requirements of Section 38.001. |
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SECTION 4. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Texas Education Agency shall update the form |
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required by Section 38.002(c), Education Code, as amended by this |
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Act, to comply with Section 38.002(d), Education Code, as added by |
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this Act. |
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SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |