BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 280

By: Howard

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties express concern regarding the violence faced by nurses and other health care workers, which the parties note poses a threat to both caregivers and patients and may complicate the delivery of treatment. H.B. 280 seeks to address violence against nurses and other health care workers in Texas by providing for a program to reduce verbal and physical violence against nurses.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 280 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the nursing resource section within the health professions resource center established by the statewide health coordinating council, to the extent funding is available, to administer a grant program to fund innovative approaches for reducing verbal and physical violence against nurses in hospitals, freestanding emergency medical care facilities, nursing facilities, and home health agencies. The bill requires the nursing resource section to require a grant recipient to submit periodic reports describing the outcome of the activities funded through the grant, including any change in the severity and frequency of verbal and physical violence against nurses. The bill requires the nursing advisory committee formed by the coordinating council to serve in an advisory capacity for the grant program and requires the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to provide administrative assistance to the nursing resource section in administering the grant program. The bill requires the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission to adopt rules necessary to implement the grant program, including rules governing the submission and approval of grant requests and establishing a reporting procedure for grant recipients. The bill authorizes the nursing resource section to use money transferred to DSHS from the Texas Board of Nursing to fund the grants. The bill requires the nursing resource section, at least annually, to publish a report describing the grants awarded under the bill's provisions, including the amount of the grant, the purpose of the grant, and the reported outcome of the approach adopted by the grant recipient.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.