1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to enforcement of screening requirements for vision, 1-3 hearing, and other special senses and communication disorders of 1-4 children in certain licensed child-care facilities. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 42, Human Resources Code, 1-7 is amended by adding Section 42.0431 to read as follows: 1-8 Sec. 42.0431. ENFORCEMENT OF SCREENING REQUIREMENTS RELATING 1-9 TO VISION, HEARING, AND OTHER SPECIAL SENSES AND COMMUNICATION 1-10 DISORDERS. (a) The department, after consultation with the Texas 1-11 Department of Health, shall adopt rules necessary to ensure that 1-12 children receiving care at a day-care center or group day-care home 1-13 licensed under this chapter are screened for vision, hearing, and 1-14 any other special senses or communication disorders in compliance 1-15 with rules adopted by the Texas Board of Health under Section 1-16 36.004, Health and Safety Code. 1-17 (b) Each day-care center or group day-care home licensed 1-18 under this chapter shall maintain individual screening records for 1-19 children attending the facility who are required to be screened, 1-20 and the department may inspect those records at any reasonable 1-21 time. The department shall coordinate the monitoring inspections 1-22 in compliance with protocol agreements adopted between the 1-23 department and the Texas Department of Health pursuant to Section 1-24 42.0442. 2-1 (c) This section does not apply to a day-care center or 2-2 group day-care home operating under a certificate issued by the 2-3 department under Subchapter E. 2-4 SECTION 2. The Department of Protective and Regulatory 2-5 Services shall adopt the rules required by Section 42.0431, Human 2-6 Resources Code, as added by this Act, as soon as possible after the 2-7 effective date of this Act. 2-8 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-9 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-10 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-11 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-12 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-13 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-14 passage, and it is so enacted. _______________________________ _______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.B. No. 908 was passed by the House on April 28, 1999, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 0, 1 present, not voting. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.B. No. 908 was passed by the Senate on May 20, 1999, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. _______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: _____________________ Date _____________________ Governor