Today, Representative Garnet F. Coleman (D-Houston) announced that he will be introducing legislation next session to re-establish and improve Texas’ health disparities office:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has made it painfully obvious that the state of Texas made a huge mistake in defunding the Office of Minority Health Statistics. In the next legislative session, I will file legislation to re-establish and improve the Office of Minority Health Statistics and Engagement to continue working to eliminate racial health disparities in Texas.

I started working on this important issue back in 1993 as a member of the House Committee on Appropriations by making equitable access to health care a goal for the then Texas Department of Health. In 2001 I passed HB 757 to create the Health Disparities Task Force to address health disparities in Texas. During the following years I have worked with my colleagues to expand and create the reiterations of that important Task Force.

Thus, I am going to work next session to bring back and improve the Office of Minority Health Statistics and Engagement by incorporating models and programs other states have been successful in using to minimize health disparities in their states.”