By Denny                                              H.B. No. 1715
         76R4723 JRD-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the phone number or address of a person making a report
 1-3     of abuse or neglect or a report of other conduct or conditions in a
 1-4     convalescent or nursing home.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Section 242.123, Health and Safety Code, is
 1-7     amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
 1-8           (c)  Except for an anonymous report under Section 242.124, a
 1-9     report of abuse or neglect under Section 242.122 or of other
1-10     conduct or conditions  under Section 242.1225 must also include the
1-11     address or phone number of the person making the report so that an
1-12     investigator can contact the person for any necessary additional
1-13     information. The phone number and address as well as the name of
1-14     the person making the report must be deleted from any copy of any
1-15     type of report that is released to the public, to the institution,
1-16     or to an owner or agent of the institution.
1-17           SECTION 2.  Section 242.127, Health and Safety Code, is
1-18     amended to read as follows:
1-19           Sec. 242.127.  CONFIDENTIALITY.  A report, record, or working
1-20     paper used or developed in an investigation made under this
1-21     subchapter and the name, address, and phone number of any person
1-22     making a report under this subchapter are  confidential and may be
1-23     disclosed only for purposes consistent with the rules adopted by
1-24     the board or the designated agency.
 2-1           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-2     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-3     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-4     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-5     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
 2-6     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 2-7     passage, and it is so enacted.