By: Turner of Harris H.B. No. 2248
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to an emergency management plan for certain health care
  facilities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 418, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 418.049 to read as follows:
         Sec. 418.049.  EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR CERTAIN HEALTH
  CARE FACILITIES. (a)  The division shall review each emergency
  management plan submitted under Sections 242.018, 246.008, and
  247.007, Health and Safety Code, and suggest changes to a plan as
  necessary to ensure safety of the residents of the facility or
  institution.
         (b)  The division shall approve a plan as appropriate and
  provide evidence of the division's approval to the facility or
  institution.
         SECTION 2.  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.  EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN. (a)  For purposes
  of this section, "area prone to severe weather" means each county in
  this state that is located wholly or partly within 100 miles of the
  Gulf of Mexico.
         (b)  An institution located in an area prone to severe weather
  shall prepare and keep current an emergency management plan
  providing for disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and
  recovery.
         (c)  The plan must provide for:
               (1)  evacuation of the institution; and
               (2)  sheltering at the institution by the residents for
  the duration of the emergency.
         (d)  Each institution shall submit the institution's
  emergency management plan to the division of emergency management
  in the governor's office and the city or county in which the
  institution is located.
         Sec. 242.019.  EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DRILL. (a) An
  institution subject to Section 242.018 shall perform an emergency
  management drill at a random time at least once every six months.
         (b)  An institution shall use the emergency management
  drills to:
               (1)  test the institution's procedures during an
  emergency for evacuating and relocating the institution's
  residents and staff and for sheltering the residents and staff in
  the institution; and
               (2)  improve the efficiency, knowledge, and response of
  institution staff in implementing the emergency management plan
  under Section 242.018.
         (c)  The institution shall ensure that an emergency
  management drill causes as little disruption to residents as
  possible.
         SECTION 3.  Section 242.032, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows:
         (c-1)  Each applicant for a license or a renewal of a license
  shall submit evidence of approval of the institution's emergency
  management plan under Section 242.018, if applicable, by the
  emergency management division in the governor's office.
         SECTION 4.  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.  EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN. (a)  For purposes
  of this section, "area prone to severe weather" means each county in
  this state that is located wholly or partly within 100 miles of the
  Gulf of Mexico.
         (b)  Each facility located in an area prone to severe weather
  shall prepare and keep current an emergency management plan
  providing for disaster mitigation, preparedness, response, and
  recovery.
         (c)  The plan must provide for:
               (1)  evacuation of the facility; and
               (2)  sheltering at the facility by the residents for
  the duration of the emergency.
         (d)  Each facility shall submit the facility's emergency
  management plan to the division of emergency management in the
  governor's office and the city or county in which the facility is
  located.
         Sec. 246.009.  EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DRILL. (a) A facility
  subject to Section 246.008 shall perform an emergency management
  drill at a random time at least once every three months.
         (b)  A facility shall use the emergency management drills to:
               (1)  test the facility's procedures during an emergency
  for evacuating and relocating facility residents and staff and for
  sheltering facility residents and staff at the facility; and
               (2)  improve the efficiency, knowledge, and response of
  facility staff in implementing the emergency management plan under
  Section 246.008.
         (c)  A facility shall ensure that an emergency management
  drill causes as little disruption to residents as possible.
         SECTION 5.  Section 246.022(c), Health and Safety Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (c)  The commissioner shall grant an application for a
  certificate of authority if the commissioner finds that:
               (1)  the applicant or the facility is financially
  sound;
               (2)  the competence, experience, and integrity of the
  applicant, its board of directors, its officers, or its management
  make it in the public interest to issue the certificate; [and]
               (3)  the applicant is capable of complying with this
  chapter; and
               (4)  the applicant has submitted evidence of approval
  of the facility's emergency management plan under Section 246.008,
  if applicable, by the emergency management division in the
  governor's office.
         SECTION 6.  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.  EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN. (a)  For purposes
  of this section, "area prone to severe weather" means each county in
  this state that is located wholly or partly within 100 miles of the
  Gulf of Mexico.
         (b)  Each assisted living facility licensed in this state
  that is located in an area prone to severe weather shall prepare and
  keep current an emergency management plan providing for disaster
  mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
         (c)  The plan must provide for:
               (1)  evacuation of the assisted living facility; and
               (2)  sheltering at the assisted living facility by the
  facility residents for the duration of the emergency.
         (d)  Each assisted living facility shall submit the
  facility's emergency management plan to the division of emergency
  management in the governor's office and the city or county in which
  the facility is located.
         Sec. 247.008.  EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DRILL. (a) An assisted
  living facility subject to Section 247.007 shall perform an
  emergency management drill at a random time at least once every
  three months.
         (b)  An assisted living facility shall use the emergency
  management drills to:
               (1)  test the assisted living facility's procedures
  during an emergency for evacuating and relocating facility
  residents and staff and for sheltering facility residents and staff
  at the facility; and
               (2)  improve the efficiency, knowledge, and response of
  assisted living facility staff in implementing the emergency
  management plan under Section 247.007.
         (c)  An assisted living facility shall ensure that an
  emergency management drill causes as little disruption to residents
  as possible.
         SECTION 7.  Section 247.022, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
         (d)  Each applicant for an assisted living facility license
  or renewal of a license shall submit evidence of approval of the
  facility's emergency management plan under Section 247.007, if
  applicable, by the emergency management division in the governor's
  office.
         SECTION 8.  A convalescent or nursing home, or related
  institution licensed under Chapter 242, Health and Safety Code, a
  continuing care facility granted a certificate of authority under
  Chapter 246, Health and Safety Code, or an assisted living facility
  licensed under Chapter 247, Health and Safety Code, subject to
  Sections 242.018, 246.008, and 247.007, Health and Safety Code, as
  added by this Act, shall develop an emergency management plan as
  required by those sections as soon as practicable after the
  effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 9.  The changes in law made by this Act apply to an
  application for a certificate of authority, a license, or a renewal
  of a license filed on or after the effective date of this Act. An
  application filed before the effective date of this Act is governed
  by the law in effect on the date of the filing of the application,
  and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 10.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.