| TO: | Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB893 by Nelson (Relating to the authority of a county to regulate and inspect day-care centers and group day-care homes; providing a criminal penalty.), As Introduced |
The bill would add Subchapter C to Chapter 234, Local Government Code, to authorize certain counties to require a day-care center or group day-care home located in an unincorporated area of the county to obtain a health and sanitation certificate from the county. A county health officer or designated official would be authorized to conduct an inspection of the day-care center or home before issuing a certificate. The county would be authorized to charge a fee to the center or home to cover the costs of the inspection.
The county commissioners court would be authorized to adopt rules as necessary to administer regulations. A district or county attorney would be authorized to bring suit to enjoin the operation of a day-care center or group day-care home in violation of the proposed statute or of a rule or order by the commissioners court. A violation of the applicable statute, rules, or orders would be a Class C misdemeanor. (The punishment for a Class C misdemeanor offense is a fine not to exceed $500.)
The bill would add Subchapter D to Chapter 234, Local Government Code, to authorize a county health officer or official designated by the county commissioners court to contract with a municipality for the county to conduct an inspection required by the municipality of a day-care center or group day-care home located in the municipality.
The provisions of the bill would apply only to a county with a population of 700,000 or more, and therefore applies only to Bexar, Dallas, Harris, Tarrant, and Travis counties.
| Source Agencies: |
| LBB Staff: | JOB, CL, DB
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