Texas Health and Safety Code
§ 81.003 — DEFINITIONS
HS § 81.003Title 2. HEALTH · Part D. PREVENTION, CONTROL, AND REPORTS OF DISEASES; PUBLIC HEALTH DISASTERS AND EMERGENCIES · Ch. 81. COMMUNICABLE DISEASES; PUBLIC HEALTH DISASTERS; PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES · Art. A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Statute text
View on sourceIn this chapter:
(1)"Communicable disease" means an illness that occurs through the transmission of an infectious agent or its toxic products from a reservoir to a susceptible host, either directly, as from an infected person or animal, or indirectly through an intermediate plant or animal host, a vector, or the inanimate environment. (1-a) "Emergency response employee or volunteer" means an individual acting in the course and scope of employment or service as a volunteer as emergency medical service personnel, a peace officer, a detention officer, a county jailer, or a fire fighter. (1-b) "Designated infection control officer" means the person serving as an entity's designated infection control officer under Section 81.012.
(2)"Health authority" means:
(A)a physician appointed as a health authority under Chapter 121 (Local Public Health Reorganization Act) or the health authority's designee; or
(B)a physician appointed as a regional director under Chapter 121 (Local Public Health Reorganization Act) who performs the duties of a health authority or the regional director's designee.
(3)"Health professional" means an individual whose:
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Legislative history
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 314 (H.B. 1690), Sec. 1, eff. June 14, 2013. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 3.0216, eff. April 2, 2015. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1278 (S.B. 1574), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2015. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 786 (H.B. 1848), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 861 (S.B. 966), Sec. 3, eff. June 16, 2021. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 863 (S.B. 968), Sec. 8, eff. June 16, 2021. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 765 (H.B. 4504), Sec. 2.121, eff. January 1, 2025.