HBA-MPM H.B. 2654 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2654
By: King, Phil
Human Services
3/30/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, a person who applies to work at a licensed child-care
facility is only required to complete an affidavit concerning the person's
criminal history and background prior to employment. Although this
affidavit contains an extensive list of criminal background questions,
there is no required subsequent verification of an applicant's responses
prior to the applicant being hired.  A person could submit false
information and still have direct contact with children through employment
at a facility or a registered family home.  The employee's criminal history
might then not be discovered until the Department of Protective and
Regulatory Services conducts its yearly background checks.  House Bill 2654
requires a director, owner, or operator of a child-care facility or
registered family home to receive background and criminal history record
information on a person prior to employment. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 2654 amends the Human Resources Code to prohibit the director,
owner, or operator of a child-care facility or family home from hiring a
person as an employee until background and criminal history information
relating to the person is received by the facility or home. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.