85R22941 DMS-F     By: Guerra, Longoria, Zerwas, Lozano, H.B. No. 3576       Sheffield, et al.     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the investigation of, and release of information   concerning, communicable disease, including the Zika virus and   other high consequence communicable diseases.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 81.046(c), Health and Safety Code, as   amended by Chapters 789 (H.B. 2646) and 1278 (S.B. 1574), Acts of   the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, is reenacted and   amended to read as follows:          (c)  Medical or epidemiological information, including   information linking a person who is exposed to a person with a   communicable disease, may be released:                (1)  for statistical purposes if released in a manner   that prevents the identification of any person;                (2)  with the consent of each person identified in the   information;                (3)  to medical personnel treating the individual,   appropriate state agencies in this state or another state, a health   authority or local health department in this state or another   state, or federal, county, or district courts to comply with this   chapter and related rules relating to the control and treatment of   communicable diseases and health conditions or under another state   or federal law that expressly authorizes the disclosure of this   information;                (4)  to appropriate federal agencies, such as the   Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [of the United States   Public Health Service], but, except as provided under Subsection   (c-3), the information must be limited to the name, address, sex,   race, and occupation of the patient, the date of disease onset, the   probable source of infection, and other requested information   relating to the case or suspected case of a communicable disease or   health condition;                (5)  to medical personnel to the extent necessary in a   medical emergency to protect the health or life of the person   identified in the information; [or]                (6)  to a designated infection control officer;                (7) [(6)]  to governmental entities that provide first   responders who may respond to a situation involving a potential   communicable disease of concern and need the information to   properly respond to the situation; or                (8) [(7)]  to a local health department or health   authority for a designated monitoring period based on the potential   risk for developing symptoms of a communicable disease of concern.          SECTION 2.  Section 81.046, Health and Safety Code, is   amended by adding Subsection (c-3) to read as follows:          (c-3)  The following medical or epidemiological information   relating to a person who has or is suspected of having a present or   potential health condition resulting from exposure to a high   consequence communicable disease, such as the Zika virus, may be   released to an appropriate federal agency:                (1)  the name, address, sex, race, and occupation of   the person;                (2)  the date of the onset of the health condition;                (3)  the probable source of infection or exposure; and                (4)  other requested information relating to the case   or suspected case of the infection.          SECTION 3.  Sections 81.061(a) and (c), Health and Safety   Code, are amended to read as follows:          (a)  The department shall investigate the causes and effects   of communicable disease and methods of prevention.          (c)  The department may investigate the existence of   communicable disease in the state to determine the nature and   extent of the disease and potential effects on the health of   individuals and to formulate and evaluate the control measures used   to protect the public health. A person shall provide records and   other information to the department on request according to the   department's written instructions.          SECTION 4.  To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails   over another Act of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017,   relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted   codes.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.