By:  Harris                                           S.B. No. 1059
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                        AN ACT
    1-1  relating to the training of licensed or certified individuals
    1-2  providing services to geriatric residents as employees or
    1-3  volunteers of certain facilities.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 242.037, Health and Safety Code, is
    1-6  amended to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 242.037.  MINIMUM STANDARDS.  (a)  The board may adopt,
    1-8  publish, and enforce minimum standards relating to:
    1-9              (1)  the construction of an institution, including
   1-10  plumbing, heating, lighting, ventilation, and other housing
   1-11  conditions, to ensure the residents' health, safety, comfort, and
   1-12  protection from fire hazard;
   1-13              (2)  the regulation of the number and qualification of
   1-14  all personnel, including management and nursing personnel,
   1-15  responsible for any part of the care given to the residents;
   1-16              (3)  requirements for in-service education of all
   1-17  employees who have any contact with the residents;
   1-18              (4)  training on the care of persons with Alzheimer's
   1-19  disease and related disorders for employees who work with those
   1-20  persons;
   1-21              (5)  sanitary and related conditions in an institution
   1-22  and its surroundings, including water supply, sewage disposal, food
   1-23  handling, and general hygiene in order to ensure the residents'
   1-24  health, safety, and comfort;
    2-1              (6)  the dietary needs of each resident according to
    2-2  good nutritional practice or the recommendations of the physician
    2-3  attending the resident;
    2-4              (7)  equipment essential to the residents' health and
    2-5  welfare; and
    2-6              (8)  the use and administration of medication in
    2-7  conformity with applicable law and rules.
    2-8        (b)  The board shall adopt, publish, and enforce minimum
    2-9  standards requiring appropriate training in geriatric medicine for
   2-10  each individual who provides services to geriatric residents as an
   2-11  employee or volunteer of an institution and who holds a license or
   2-12  certificate issued by an agency of this state that authorizes the
   2-13  person to provide the services.  The minimum standards may require
   2-14  that each licensed or certified individual complete an appropriate
   2-15  program of continuing education, as determined by board rule, on a
   2-16  schedule determined by board rule.
   2-17        SECTION 2.  Section 247.026, Health and Safety Code, is
   2-18  amended by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
   2-19        (e)  The board by rule shall prescribe minimum standards
   2-20  requiring appropriate training in geriatric medicine for each
   2-21  individual who provides services to geriatric residents as an
   2-22  employee or volunteer of a personal care facility and who holds a
   2-23  license or certificate issued by an agency of this state that
   2-24  authorizes the person to provide the services.  The minimum
   2-25  standards may require that each licensed or certified individual
   2-26  complete an appropriate program of continuing education, as
   2-27  determined by board rule, on a schedule determined by board rule.
    3-1        SECTION 3.  Before adopting minimum standards under
    3-2  Subsection (b), Section 242.037, and Subsection (e), Section
    3-3  247.026, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, the Texas
    3-4  Board of Human Services shall solicit the comment of each agency of
    3-5  this state that issues a license or certificate authorizing an
    3-6  individual to provide the type of services that are provided by
    3-7  employees and volunteers of facilities licensed under Chapters 242
    3-8  and 247, Health and Safety Code.
    3-9        SECTION 4.  (a)  The Texas Board of Human Services shall
   3-10  adopt minimum standards as required by Subsection (b), Section
   3-11  242.037, and Subsection (e), Section 247.026, Health and Safety
   3-12  Code, as added by this Act, not later than December 31, 1995.
   3-13        (b)  A person is not required to complete the training
   3-14  required by the minimum standards adopted under Subsection (b),
   3-15  Section 242.037, or Subsection (e), Section 247.026, Health and
   3-16  Safety Code, as added by this Act, before January 1, 1997.
   3-17        SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
   3-18  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   3-19  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   3-20  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   3-21  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   3-22  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   3-23  passage, and it is so enacted.
   3-24                       COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1
   3-25        Amend SB 1059 as follows:
   3-26        On page 1, lines 2 and 3, delete the words "or volunteers".
   3-27        On page 2, line 10 replace the word "medicine" with the word
    4-1  "care".
    4-2        On page 2, line 12, delete the words "or volunteer".
    4-3        On page 2, line 16, following the words "continuing
    4-4  education" add the words "or in-service training".
    4-5        On page 2, line 21 replace the word "medicine" with the word
    4-6  "care".
    4-7        On page 2, line 23, delete the words "or volunteer".
    4-8        On page 3, line 2 following the words "continuing education"
    4-9  add the words "or in-service training".
   4-10                                                             McDonald