By Zaffirini                                           S.B. No. 159
         77R1331 JRD-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to establishing a competitive grant program for projects
 1-3     that are designed to improve the quality of life for residents of a
 1-4     convalescent or nursing home and that could serve as a model of
 1-5     best practices for the convalescent and nursing home industry.
 1-6           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-7           SECTION 1. Subchapter K, Chapter 242, Health and Safety Code,
 1-8     is amended by adding Section 242.405 to read as follows:
 1-9           Sec. 242.405.  BEST PRACTICES/QUALITY OF LIFE COMPETITIVE
1-10     GRANT PROGRAM. (a)  The department shall establish a best
1-11     practices/quality of life competitive grant program.  The purpose
1-12     of the grant program is to pay part of the costs of a project
1-13     proposed by an institution that is designed to improve the quality
1-14     of life for residents of the institution and that could serve as a
1-15     model of best practices for the industry.  The department shall
1-16     monitor the expenditure of grant money to ensure that the money is
1-17     being used for the intended purpose.
1-18           (b)  The legislature may appropriate money collected under
1-19     Section 242.066, including unexpended and unobligated amounts
1-20     collected under Section 242.066 during a previous state fiscal
1-21     biennium, to fund the grant program.
1-22           (c)  The department shall establish guidelines for the
1-23     program by rule, including guidelines that specify:
1-24                 (1)  the procedures for submitting a grant proposal;
 2-1                 (2)  the criteria the department will follow in
 2-2     evaluating the proposals; and
 2-3                 (3)  the reports that a grant recipient must file to
 2-4     allow the department and the industry to evaluate the feasibility
 2-5     and success of the project.
 2-6           (d)  The department shall award each grant under a contract.
 2-7     A contract may further detail:
 2-8                 (1)  reports that the grant recipient must file; and
 2-9                 (2)  monitoring of the project that the grant recipient
2-10     must allow.
2-11           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.