FIRST RESPONDER IMMUNIZATION INFORMATION.

(a) A person 18 years of age or older who is a first responder or an immediate family member of a first responder may:

(1) request that a health care provider who administers an immunization to the person provide data elements regarding the immunization to the department for inclusion in the immunization registry; or

(2) provide the person's immunization history directly to the department for inclusion in the immunization registry.

(b) A health care provider, on receipt of a request under Subsection (a)(1), shall submit the data elements to the department in a format prescribed by the department. At the request and with the authorization of the health care provider, the data elements may be submitted through a health information exchange as defined by Section 182.151. The department shall verify the person's request before including the information in the immunization registry.

(c) The executive commissioner shall:

(1) develop rules to ensure that immunization history submitted under Subsection (a)(2) is medically verified immunization information;

(2) develop guidelines for use by the department in informing first responders about the registry and that registry information may be released under Section 161.00735; and

(3) adopt rules necessary for the implementation of this section.

(d) Except as provided by Section 161.00735, a person's immunization history or data received by the department under this section may be released only on consent of the person or to any health care provider licensed or otherwise authorized to administer vaccines.

(e) A person whose immunization records are included in the immunization registry as authorized by this section may request in writing or electronically that the department remove that information from the registry. Not later than the 10th day after receiving a request under this subsection, the department shall remove the person's immunization records from the registry.

(f) The report required under Section 161.0074 must also include the number of complaints received by the department related to the department's failure to comply with requests for removal of information from the registry under Subsection (e).