CLC S.B. 725 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


HUMAN SERVICES
S.B. 725
By: Madla (Puente)
5-6-97
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND 

Currently, licensed personal care homes constitute a rapidly expanding
industry.  These homes typically serve the elderly by providing a model of
care that assists them in functioning with their disabilities while
allowing them to remain within their communities.  However, individual
municipalities have varied widely in their interpretation of the existing
statute regarding what constitutes a community home, and licensed personal
care homes are often exempted from that qualification.  The ever-growing
number of elderly in Texas and ongoing initiatives by the Department of
Human Services to utilize licensed personal care homes as a cost-effective
alternative to state-funded, long-term care make this issue a concern.
This legislation clarifies the qualification of licensed personal care
facilities and other community-based residential homes as community homes
in an effort to ensure cost-efficient, community-based care for the
elderly.        

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 725 establishes the qualifications of a personal care
facility as a community home.  
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 123.004, Human Resources Code, to require an
entity, to qualify as a community home, to be a community-based
residential home operated by a community center organized under Chapter
534A, Health and Safety Code, rather than Section 3.01, Article 5547.203,
V.T.C.S., that provides services to disabled persons; or a personal care
facility licensed under Chapter 247, Health and Safety Code.  Makes
conforming changes.   

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 1997.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.