Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

___ HEALTH AND HUMAN
ERVICES/Regulatory
UMAN SERVICES
77 th Texas Legislature
positions because trainees count toward the full-time employee cap, even though the trainees do not
actively work on CPS cases.
Establishes a pilot project to aid a target region having the highest percentage of authorized caseworker
positions unfilled and the highest caseworker turnover rate in meeting its needs for caseworkers.
Requires DPRS to remove the limit on the number of authorized caseworkers, increase the number of
trainees and trainers, and provide funds to meet the target region's needs for caseworkers.
Authorizes DPRS to terminate the pilot project if DPRS determines that the number of caseworkers serving
the public in the target region equals or exceeds the number of authorized caseworker positions as that
number existed immediately before September 1, 2001.
Wholesale Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Distribution Licensing - S.B. 1046
by Senator Moncrief
House Sponsor: Representative Capelo
Current law does not provide for the enforcement of a licensing requirement for wholesale food distributors.
Specific authority to punish violators of this provision could provide an incentive to food wholesalers to
comply with state licensing requirements.
Include operating as a food wholesaler in this state without a license from the TDH as an act that is
unlawful and prohibited.
Provides that a person is not required to be licensed under the food manufacturers and food wholesalers
provisions of the Texas Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act if the person holds a license under the Texas Food,
Drug, Device, and Cosmetic Salvage Act and only engages in conduct within the scope of that license.
EMR and Background Checks for Certain Health Care Employees - S.B. 1245
by Senator Moncrief
House Sponsors: Representatives Noriega and Naishtat
Currently, the direct care staff of home and community support services agencies are not on the list of
employees covered by the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS) employee misconduct registry
(EMR). This exclusion may prevent home health agencies and other long-term care providers from
discovering whether a potential employee who worked in the home health care field has a record of abuse
or neglect against a client.
Adds direct care staff employed by home health agencies to the list of employees covered by the EMR.
Authorizes facilities that serve the elderly or disabled to obtain criminal history information directly from the
Department of Public Safety.
Senate Research Center 158