1-1     By:  Zaffirini                                         S.B. No. 159
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed December 8, 2000; January 11, 2001,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human
 1-4     Services; February 19, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable
 1-5     Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 1;
 1-6     February 19, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 159                By:  Shapleigh
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to establishing a competitive grant program for projects
1-11     that are designed to improve the quality of life for residents of a
1-12     convalescent or nursing home and that could serve as a model of
1-13     best practices for the convalescent and nursing home industry.
1-14           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-15           SECTION 1.  Subchapter K, Chapter 242, Health and Safety
1-16     Code, is amended by adding Section 242.405 to read as follows:
1-17           Sec. 242.405.  BEST PRACTICES/QUALITY OF LIFE COMPETITIVE
1-18     GRANT PROGRAM.  (a)  The department shall establish a best
1-19     practices/quality of life competitive grant program.  The purpose
1-20     of the grant program is to pay part of the costs of a project
1-21     proposed by an institution that is designed to improve the quality
1-22     of life for residents of the institution and that could serve as a
1-23     model of best practices for the industry.  The department shall
1-24     monitor the expenditure of grant money to ensure that the money is
1-25     being used for the intended purpose.
1-26           (b)  The legislature may appropriate money collected under
1-27     Section 242.066, including unexpended and unobligated amounts
1-28     collected under Section 242.066 during a previous state fiscal
1-29     biennium, to fund the grant program.
1-30           (c)  The department shall establish guidelines for the grant
1-31     program by rule, including guidelines that specify:
1-32                 (1)  the procedures for submitting a grant proposal;
1-33                 (2)  the criteria the department will follow in
1-34     evaluating the proposals; and
1-35                 (3)  the reports that a grant recipient must file to
1-36     allow the department and the industry to evaluate the feasibility
1-37     and success of the project.
1-38           (d)  The department shall award each grant under a contract.
1-39     A contract may further detail:
1-40                 (1)  reports that the grant recipient must file; and
1-41                 (2)  monitoring of the project that the grant recipient
1-42     must allow.
1-43           (e)  The department shall post a summary on its Internet site
1-44     of best practices under this program and shall advise the industry
1-45     of the location of this best practices Internet site.
1-46           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-47                                  * * * * *