BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2191

By: Veasey

Human Services

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Section 250.003, Health and Safety Code, requires a facility that serves elderly or disabled persons to verify the criminal history of an applicant prior to employment. In certain situations, a facility may hire a person pending the criminal history check and verification of the person's employability.

H.B. 2191 prohibits direct contact between an employee of a facility that serves the elderly and disabled persons and a patient or resident of the facility until the employee's criminal history has been verified.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2191 amends the Health and Safety Code to require a health care facility serving the elderly or persons with disabilities that employs a person pending a criminal history check to ensure that the person has no direct contact with a consumer, until the facility obtains the person's criminal history record information and verifies the person's employability under provisions barring employment at such a facility for certain convictions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.