Texas Health And Safety Code § 81.003 Definitions

Sec. 81.003. DEFINITIONS. In 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:

(A) vocation or profession is directly or indirectly related to the maintenance of the health of another individual or of an animal; and

(B) duties require a specified amount of formal education and may require a special examination, certificate or license, or membership in a regional or national association.

(4) "Local health department" means a department created under Chapter 121 (Local Public Health Reorganization Act).

(4-a) "Peace officer" has the meaning assigned by Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure. The term includes a sheriff or constable.

(5) "Physician" means a person licensed to practice medicine by the Texas Medical Board.

(6) "Public health district" means a district created under Chapter 121 (Local Public Health Reorganization Act).

(7) "Public health disaster" means:

(A) a declaration by the governor of a state of disaster; and

(B) a determination by the commissioner that there exists an immediate threat from a communicable disease that:

(i) poses a high risk of death or serious long-term disability to a large number of people; and

(ii) creates a substantial risk of public exposure because of the disease's high level of contagion or the method by which the disease is transmitted.

(8) "Reportable disease" means a disease or condition included in the list of reportable diseases and includes a disease that is designated as reportable under Section 81.048.

(9) "Resident of this state" means a person who:

(A) is physically present and living voluntarily in this state;

(B) is not in the state for temporary purposes; and

(C) intends to make a home in this state, which may be demonstrated by the presence of personal effects at a specific abode in the state; employment in the state; possession of a Texas driver's license, motor vehicle registration, voter registration, or other similar documentation; or other pertinent evidence.

(10) "School authority" means:

(A) the superintendent of a public school system or the superintendent's designee; or

(B) the principal or other chief administrative officer of a private school.

(11) "Sexually transmitted disease" means an infection, with or without symptoms or clinical manifestations, that may be transmitted from one person to another during, or as a result of, sexual relations between two persons and that may:

(A) produce a disease in, or otherwise impair the health of, either person; or

(B) cause an infection or disease in a fetus in utero or a newborn.

Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 198, Sec. 2.167, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

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.

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Last modified: September 28, 2016