GENERAL DUTIES OF COMMITTEE.

(a) The committee shall:

(1) define the core public health services a local health entity should provide in a county or municipality;

(2) evaluate public health in this state and identify initiatives for areas that need improvement;

(3) identify all funding sources available for use by local health entities to perform core public health functions;

(4) establish public health policy priorities for this state; and

(5) at least annually, make formal recommendations to the department regarding:

(A) the use and allocation of funds available exclusively to local health entities to perform core public health functions;

(B) ways to improve the overall public health of citizens in this state;

(C) methods for transitioning from a contractual relationship between the department and the local health entities to a cooperative-agreement relationship between the department and the local health entities; and

(D) methods for fostering a continuous collaborative relationship between the department and the local health entities.

(b) Recommendations made under Subsection (a)(5)(A) must be in accordance with:

(1) prevailing epidemiological evidence, variations in geographic and population needs, best practices, and evidence-based interventions related to the populations to be served;

(2) state and federal law; and

(3) federal funding requirements.