1-1     By:  Zaffirini                                         S.B. No. 908

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 4, 1997; March 6, 1997, read

 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services;

 1-4     April 1, 1997, reported favorably, as amended, by the following

 1-5     vote:  Yeas 10, Nays 0; April 1, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6     COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1                            By:  Zaffirini

 1-7     Amend SECTION 1 of S.B. No. 908 by amending Subsection (c), Section

 1-8     222.024, Health and Safety Code, to read as follows:

 1-9           (c)  The department may conduct an inspection of a hospital

1-10     exempt from an annual licensing inspection under Subsection (a)

1-11     before issuing a renewal license to the hospital if the

1-12     certification or accreditation body has not conducted an on-site

1-13     inspection of the hospital in the preceding three years and the

1-14     department determines that an inspection of the hospital by the

1-15     certification or accreditation body is not scheduled within 60

1-16     days.

1-17                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

1-18                                   AN ACT

1-19     relating to the licensing and inspection of certain hospitals.

1-20           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-21           SECTION 1.  Section 222.024, Health and Safety Code, is

1-22     amended to read as follows:

1-23           Sec. 222.024.  CERTIFICATION OR ACCREDITATION INSTEAD OF

1-24     INSPECTION.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), a [A]

1-25     hospital licensed by the Texas Department of Health [or the Texas

1-26     Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation] is not subject

1-27     to additional annual licensing inspections before the department

1-28     [agency] issues the hospital a license [under Chapter 241 (Texas

1-29     Hospital Licensing Law) or by the licensing agency] while the

1-30     hospital maintains:

1-31                 (1)  certification under Title XVIII of the Social

1-32     Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section 1395 et seq.); or

1-33                 (2)  accreditation from the Joint Commission on

1-34     Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the American Osteopathic

1-35     Association, or other national accreditation organization for the

1-36     offered services.

1-37           (b)  [If the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental

1-38     Retardation licenses a hospital exempt from a licensing inspection

1-39     under Subsection (a), that agency shall issue a renewal license to

1-40     the hospital if the hospital annually remits any applicable fees

1-41     and submits a copy of the most recent inspection results report

1-42     from the certification or accreditation body.]

1-43           [(c)]  If the department [Texas Department of Health]

1-44     licenses a hospital exempt from an annual [a] licensing inspection

1-45     under Subsection (a), the department [that agency] shall issue a

1-46     renewal license to the hospital if the hospital annually:

1-47                 (1)  submits a complete application required by the

1-48     department;

1-49                 (2)  remits any applicable fees;

1-50                 (3)  submits a copy of documentation from the

1-51     certification or accreditation body showing that the hospital is

1-52     certified or accredited; and

1-53                 (4)  submits a copy of the most recent fire safety

1-54     inspection report from the fire marshal in whose jurisdiction the

1-55     hospital is located.

1-56           (c)  The department may conduct an inspection of a hospital

1-57     exempt from an annual licensing inspection under Subsection (a)

1-58     before issuing a renewal license to the hospital if the

1-59     certification or accreditation body has not conducted an on-site

1-60     inspection of the hospital in the preceding three years.

1-61           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-62           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-63     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-64     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-1     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-2     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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