| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to duties of certain health care facilities in relation to |
|
|
residents who are sex offenders. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 242, Health and Safety |
|
|
Code, is amended by adding Sections 242.018 and 242.019 to read as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
Sec. 242.018. SEX OFFENDER STATUS OF RESIDENTS. Not later |
|
|
than the third day after the date a person begins to reside in an |
|
|
institution, by using the Internet website maintained by the |
|
|
Department of Public Safety that contains the sex offender |
|
|
database, the institution shall determine whether the person is |
|
|
required to register under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure. |
|
|
If the institution determines that the person is required to |
|
|
register under that chapter, the institution shall notify the |
|
|
Department of Public Safety that the person is a resident in the |
|
|
institution. |
|
|
Sec. 242.019. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION REQUIRED. Each |
|
|
institution required to notify the Department of Public Safety |
|
|
under Section 242.018 shall prominently and conspicuously post a |
|
|
sign for display in a public area of the institution that is |
|
|
frequently used by residents, employees, and visitors. The sign |
|
|
must clearly state that a person required to register with the |
|
|
Department of Public Safety as a sex offender currently resides in |
|
|
the institution. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 246, Health and Safety |
|
|
Code, is amended by adding Sections 246.008 and 246.009 to read as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
Sec. 246.008. SEX OFFENDER STATUS OF RESIDENTS. Not later |
|
|
than the third day after the date a person begins to reside in a |
|
|
facility, by using the Internet website maintained by the |
|
|
Department of Public Safety that contains the sex offender |
|
|
database, the facility shall determine whether the person is |
|
|
required to register under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure. |
|
|
If the facility determines that the person is required to register |
|
|
under that chapter, the facility shall notify the Department of |
|
|
Public Safety that the person is a resident in the facility. |
|
|
Sec. 246.009. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION REQUIRED. Each facility |
|
|
required to notify the Department of Public Safety under Section |
|
|
246.008 shall prominently and conspicuously post a sign for display |
|
|
in a public area of the facility that is frequently used by |
|
|
residents, employees, and visitors. The sign must clearly state |
|
|
that a person required to register with the Department of Public |
|
|
Safety as a sex offender currently resides in the facility. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 247, Health and Safety |
|
|
Code, is amended by adding Sections 247.007 and 247.008 to read as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
Sec. 247.007. SEX OFFENDER STATUS OF RESIDENTS. Not later |
|
|
than the third day after the date a person begins to reside in an |
|
|
assisted living facility, by using the Internet website maintained |
|
|
by the Department of Public Safety that contains the sex offender |
|
|
database, the assisted living facility shall determine whether the |
|
|
person is required to register under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal |
|
|
Procedure. If the facility determines that the person is required |
|
|
to register under that chapter, the facility shall notify the |
|
|
Department of Public Safety that the person is a resident in the |
|
|
facility. |
|
|
Sec. 247.008. PUBLIC NOTIFICATION REQUIRED. Each assisted |
|
|
living facility required to notify the Department of Public Safety |
|
|
under Section 247.007 shall prominently and conspicuously post a |
|
|
sign for display in a public area of the facility that is frequently |
|
|
used by residents, employees, and visitors. The sign must clearly |
|
|
state that a person required to register with the Department of |
|
|
Public Safety as a sex offender currently resides in the assisted |
|
|
living facility. |
|
|
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply to the |
|
|
admission of a resident to a convalescent or nursing home, or |
|
|
related institution, a continuing care facility, or an assisted |
|
|
living facility that occurs on or after the effective date of this |
|
|
Act. An admission that occurs before the effective date of this Act |
|
|
is governed by the law in effect on the date of the admission, and |
|
|
the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |