1. (a) All case reports received by the health authority or the department are confidential records and not public records.
2. (b) Reporting forms and/or information from all entities required to report should be sent to the local health department director where the physician's office, hospital, laboratory or medical facility is located or, if there is no such facility, the reports should be forwarded to the regional director in the region where the physician's office, hospital, laboratory, or medical facility is located.
3. (c) If any individual or entity is unsure where to report any of the diseases mentioned in this title, the reports shall be placed in a sealed envelope addressed as follows: Texas Department of Health, HIV/STD Epidemiology Division, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756 and the envelope shall be marked "Confidential." The envelope shall be delivered with the seal unbroken to the HIV/STD Epidemiology Division office for opening and processing of the contents. Postage paid envelopes may be obtained by contacting the HIV/STD Epidemiology Division and are provided without charge.
4. (d) Reporting forms can be obtained from local health departments, regional offices, and the Texas Department of Health, HIV/STD Epidemiology Division, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin Texas, 78756. Forms shall be provided without charge to individuals required to report.
5. (e) Reports of confirmed or suspected sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS and HIV infection must be submitted within seven days of the determination of the existence of a reportable condition.
6. (f) Laboratories shall submit information weekly. If, during any calendar quarter, tests for chancroid, Chlamydia trachomatis infection, gonorrhea, HIV infection and syphilis are performed and all test results are negative, the person in charge of reporting for the laboratory shall submit a statement to this effect on or before January 5, April 5, July 5, and October 5 following that calendar quarter.
7. (g) A local health director or regional director may authorize one or more employees under his/her supervision to receive the report from the physician by telephone and to physically complete the form; use of this alternative, if authorized, is at the option of the reporting physician. The local health department director or regional director shall implement a method for verifying the identity of the telephone caller when that person is unfamiliar to the employee.
8. (h) A local health department director or regional director shall forward to the department at least weekly all reports of cases received by him/her. Transmittal may be by mail, courier or electronic transmission.
9. (i) If reporting by electronic transmission, including facsimile transmission by telephone, the same degree of protection of the information against unauthorized disclosure shall be provided as those of reporting by mail or courier transmittal. The department shall, before authorizing such transmittal, establish guidelines for establishing and conducting such transmission.

Source Note:The provisions of this §97.134 adopted to be effective January 1, 1999, 23 TexReg 12669.