SRC-TJG S.B. 567 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 567
78R3614 KEG-FBy: West
Health & Human Services
3/5/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, public hospitals are given access to the Texas Department of
Public Safety(DPS) criminal information database to perform background
checks on hospital employees and applicants.  However, private nonprofit
hospitals are denied access to that source of information.  As proposed,
S.B. 567 adds private nonprofit hospitals to the definition of "hospitals"
that are authorized to access the DPS criminal information database. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 411.136, Government Code, as follows:

Sec. 411.136.  New heading: ACCESS TO CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD INFORMATION:
CERTAIN HOSPITALS AND HOSPITAL DISTRICTS.  Deletes existing text "PUBLIC"
from the heading. 

(a) Defines " nonprofit hospital."  Makes conforming changes.

(b) Adds nonprofit hospital to types of hospitals entitled to obtain
criminal history record information.  Deletes existing text "public" as a
modifier for hospital and "hospital" as a modifier for district regarding
the types of places certain persons are applying for positions. 

(c)-(g) Make conforming changes.

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.