Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

___ HEALTH AND HUMAN
ERVICES/Regulatory
UMAN SERVICES
77 th Texas Legislature
Requires the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the Texas School for the Deaf to adopt
policies relating to the investigation and resolution of reports that a child has been abused, neglected, or
exploited in one of their facilities.
Requires HHSC to adopt uniform procedures for collecting information relating to an investigation, including
procedures for collecting information on deaths that occur in facilities where children reside, not including a
facility under the jurisdiction of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Texas Youth Commission, or
Texas Juvenile Probation Commission.
Creation of an Assisted Living Facility Trust Fund - S.B. 691
by Senator Moncrief
House Sponsor: Representative Naishtat
Creates a trust fund of $500,000 for assisted living facilities, separate from the nursing home trust fund.
This bill provides that the fund would be built through a per bed assessment of fees to assisted living
facilities by the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS).
Enforcement Sanctions for Certain Licensing Programs Regulated by TDH - S.B. 791
by Senator Nelson
House Sponsor: Representative Gray
The 76th Legislature directed the Texas Department of Health (TDH) to perform a comprehensive
evaluation of its regulatory programs and to identify problem areas and recommend solutions. One finding
of the regulatory review indicates that enforcement sanctions are inadequate in some of the professional
licensing programs.
Provides for the emergency suspension of licenses, certificates, or permits to practice midwifery,
optometry, contact lens prescribing, speech-language pathology, and audiology. Provides for imposing
administrative and criminal penalties on these licensed health care professionals.
Provides for the emergency suspension of, and hearing regarding the suspension of, the registration of a
registered sex offender treatment provider. Establishes provisions regarding the imposition of an
administrative penalty on a permit holder for a violation of law or rule governing the registration of sex
offender treatment providers.
Pilot Project for Child Protective Services Caseworkers - S.B. 962
by Senators Moncrief and Shapiro
House Sponsor: Representative Glenn Lewis
Currently, the turnover rate for child protective services (CPS) caseworkers in Dallas and Tarrant counties
is 43 and 25 percent, respectively. Current caps on full-time employees prevents the training academy for
the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (DPRS) from enrolling enough trainees to fill vacant
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