By Serna H.B. No. 2914 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to nurse aides and registered nurses in certain nursing 1-3 facilities funded through the state Medicaid program. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, 1-6 is amended by adding Section 32.0212 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 32.0212. NURSE AIDES AND REGISTERED NURSES IN NURSING 1-8 FACILITIES. (a) The department shall include in a contract for 1-9 the delivery of medical assistance by a nursing facility provisions 1-10 requiring that the facility maintain a sufficient ratio of nurse 1-11 aides and registered nurses to residents to meet the needs of the 1-12 residents. 1-13 (b) At a minimum, the contract provisions must require that 1-14 the facility maintain: 1-15 (1) at least one nurse aide for each eight residents 1-16 during a day shift; 1-17 (2) at least one nurse aide for each 12 residents 1-18 during a night shift; and 1-19 (3) at least one registered nurse aide for each 14 1-20 residents during each day shift and night shift. 1-21 (c) In this section, "nurse aide" means a certified nurse 1-22 aide or a person enrolled in an approved nurse aide training 1-23 course. 2-1 SECTION 2. If, before implementing Section 32.0212, Human 2-2 Resources Code, as added by this Act, the Texas Department of Human 2-3 Services determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal 2-4 agency is necessary for implementation, the department shall 2-5 request the waiver or authorization and may delay implementing that 2-6 section until the waiver or authorization is granted. 2-7 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-8 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-9 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-10 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-11 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-12 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-13 passage, and it is so enacted.