81R14298 T
 
  By: Coleman H.B. No. 2971
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to life safety code inspections of assisted living
  facilities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 247.021, Tex. Health and Safety Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 247.021.  LICENSE REQUIRED.  (a)  A person may not
  establish or operate an assisted living facility without a license
  issued under this chapter.
         (b)  A person establishing or operating a facility that is
  not required to be licensed under this chapter may not use the term
  "assisted living" in referring to the facility or the services
  provided at the facility.
         (c)  A person establishing or operating a facility that is
  not required to be licensed but who elects to obtain a license under
  this chapter may use the term "assisted living" in referring to the
  facility or the services provided at the facility.
         (d)  The department by rule shall establish procedures to
  issue a six-month provisional license to existing facilities with
  residents.  The department may issue a provisional license [only]
  if:
               (1)  the facility is in compliance with resident care
  standards;
               (2)  the facility voluntarily discloses that the
  facility needs additional time to comply with life safety code and
  physical plant standards;
               (3)  the disclosure is made in writing by certified
  mail to the department;
               (4)  an investigation of the violation was not
  initiated and the violation was not independently detected by the
  department; and
               (5)  the disclosure is made promptly after knowledge of
  the information disclosed is obtained by the facility.
         (e)  If, at the end of the six-month provisional license
  period, the facility does not meet life safety code and physical
  plant standards, the department may not issue a license to the
  facility.
         [(f)     No provisional licenses shall be issued after December
  31, 1999.]
               (f) [g]  [Notwithstanding Subsection (f), the] The 
  department [may] must automatically issue a provisional license to
  a newly constructed facility if:
               (1)  the facility is in compliance with resident care
  standards;
               (2)  all local approvals have been obtained;
               (3)  a complete license application is submitted within
  30 days of receipt of all local approvals; and
               (4)  the license fee has been paid.
               (g) [h]  [Notwithstanding Subsection (f), t] The
  department may automatically issue a provisional license in the
  case of a corporate change of ownership of a facility.
         SECTION 2.  Tex. Health and Safety Code Chapter 247 is
  amended by adding Sec. 247.0211 to read as follows:
         Sec. 247.0211.  EXPEDITED LIFE SAFETY CODE INSPECTIONS. On
  or before January 1, 2010, the department shall implement a process
  whereby an applicant for an initial assisted living facility
  license or for the renewal of an assisted living facility license
  may obtain a life safety code and physical plant survey within five
  (5) business days of its request for the survey provided that the
  applicant pays for the cost of an expedited survey.  The department
  may accept payment for such surveys.
         SECTION 3.  Sec. 247.005(a), Tex. Health and Safety Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 247.032.  ACCREDITATION SURVEY TO SATISFY INSPECTION
  REQUIREMENTS.  (a)  In this section, "accreditation commission"
  means the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation
  Facilities, [or] the Joint Commission on Accreditation of
  Healthcare Organizations, or other organizations approved by the
  commissioner.
         SECTION 4.  This act takes effect September 1, 2009.