HBA-CCH H.B. 1693 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1693
By: Delisi
Public Health
3/1/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, local agencies are not required to develop emergency
management plans to respond to bioterrorism, which is the intentional
release of a harmful bacterium or virus. House Bill 1693 requires local or
interjurisdictional agencies and the Texas Department of Health to design a
plan in the event of bioterrorism. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1693 amends the Government Code to require a local or
interjurisdictional agency to specifically provide in its emergency
management plan for disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and
mitigation in the event of the intentional release of a harmful bacterium
or virus.  The bill authorizes the local or interjurisdictional agency to
consult with the Texas Department of Health (TDH) in developing these
plans. 

The bill amends the Health and Safety Code to require TDH to develop
expertise on responding to the intentional release of a harmful virus or
bacterium and provide advice to municipalities and counties in their
development and implementation of emergency management plans. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.