By: Klick (Senate Sponsor - Perry) H.B. No. 3564
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2017;
  May 12, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on Health &
  Human Services; May 19, 2017, reported favorably by the following
  vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 19, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the office of the state long-term care ombudsman;
  affecting the prosecution of a criminal offense.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter F, Chapter 101A, Human Resources
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER F.  OFFICE OF STATE LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN
         Sec. 101A.251.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Commission" means the Health and Human Services
  Commission ["Elderly resident" means a resident of a long-term care
  facility who is 60 years of age or older].
               (1-a)  "Local ombudsman entity" means a distinct unit
  or entity, consisting of representatives, designated by the state
  long-term care ombudsman to carry out the ombudsman program in a
  service area of the state.
               (2)  "Long-term care facility" means a facility that
  [serves persons who are 60 years of age or older and that] is
  licensed or regulated or that is required to be licensed or
  regulated by the commission [department] under Chapter 242 or 247,
  Health and Safety Code.
               (3)  "Office" means the office of the state long-term
  care ombudsman, consisting of the state long-term care ombudsman
  and representatives who are employed by the commission.
               (3-a)  "Ombudsman program" means the program through
  which the functions and duties of the office are carried out,
  consisting of the office and all representatives.
               (4)  "Representative" means an employee or volunteer
  specifically designated by the office as a representative of the
  office.
               (4-a)  "Resident" means a resident of a long-term care
  facility.
               (5)  "State long-term care ombudsman" means the chief
  administrator of the office.
         Sec. 101A.252.  OPERATION OF OFFICE. (a)  The office
  [department] shall operate and is subject to the commission's
  oversight in accordance with federal and state statute [the office
  of the state long-term care ombudsman].
         (b)  The commission [department] may operate the office
  directly or by contract or memorandum of agreement with a public
  agency or other appropriate private nonprofit organization. The
  commission, agency, or organization may not implement a policy that
  prohibits the office from performing its duties under this
  subchapter. The commission [department] may not use an agency or
  organization that [is]:
               (1)  is responsible for licensing or certifying
  long-term care services; [or]
               (2)  is an association of long-term care facilities or
  of any other residential facility that serves persons with
  disabilities or who are 60 years of age or older, or that is an
  affiliate of such an association; or
               (3)  has an ownership, operational, or investment
  interest in a long-term care facility.
         (c)  The commission [department] shall consider the views of
  residents [elderly persons], provider organizations, advocacy
  groups, and area agencies on aging in planning and operating the
  office.
         (d)  The commission [department] shall ensure that a person
  involved in designating the state long-term care ombudsman or in
  designating a [an employee or] representative [of the office] does
  not have a conflict of interest.
         Sec. 101A.253.  ROLE OF OFFICE.  The office and the ombudsman
  program shall operate in cooperation with any regulatory agency
  funded and mandated by federal [the Older Americans Act of 1965 (42
  U.S.C. Section 3001 et seq.)] and state statute.
         Sec. 101A.254.  POWERS AND DUTIES OF STATE LONG-TERM CARE
  OMBUDSMAN AND OFFICE. (a)  The [state ombudsman and the] office has 
  [have] the powers and duties authorized and required by state and
  federal law.
         (b)  The office may use appropriate administrative, legal,
  and other remedies to assist [elderly] residents as provided by
  commission [department] rules.
         (c)  The office acts independently of the commission in the
  performance of its powers and duties under this subchapter.
         (d)  The state long-term care ombudsman has the authority to
  designate a local ombudsman entity or representative and to suspend
  or revoke that designation.
         Sec. 101A.255.  OMBUDSMEN. (a)  The office shall recruit
  volunteers and citizen organizations to participate in the
  ombudsman program.  A paid staff member of an area agency on aging
  network or a nonprofit social service agency may be an ombudsman.  
  An ombudsman is a representative [of the office].
         (b)  The office shall provide training to ombudsmen as
  required by this subchapter and federal law.
         (c)  The office shall coordinate ombudsman services with the
  protection and advocacy systems that exist for persons with
  developmental disabilities or mental illness.
         (d)  The office shall coordinate ombudsman services with
  state and local law enforcement agencies and courts of competent
  jurisdiction.  The office is not authorized to compel those law
  enforcement agencies or courts to coordinate ombudsman services or
  other activities with the office.
         Sec. 101A.256.  LEGAL COUNSEL [ASSISTANCE].  The commission
  [department] shall ensure that the office receives adequate legal
  advice and representation without conflict of interest as defined
  by the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct.  The
  attorney general shall represent the state long-term care ombudsman
  and [or] a representative if a suit or other legal action is brought
  or threatened to be brought against that person in connection with
  the person's performance of the official duties of the ombudsman
  program [office].
         Sec. 101A.257.  INVESTIGATIONS. (a)  The office shall have
  access to [elderly] residents and shall, in accordance with
  commission rules, investigate and resolve complaints made by or on
  behalf of [elderly] residents.
         (b)  The state long-term care ombudsman [department] shall
  ensure that each ombudsman designated under Section 101A.255 who
  investigates complaints has received proper training and has been
  approved by the office as qualified to investigate complaints.
         (c)  The office shall investigate a grievance made against a
  representative in accordance with commission rules and inform the
  person who made the grievance of the outcome of the investigation
  when the investigation is concluded.
         (d)  A long-term care facility shall cooperate with an
  investigation conducted by the state long-term care ombudsman or a
  representative, including an ombudsman designated under Section
  101A.255.
         Sec. 101A.258.  ACCESS TO RECORDS AND CONFIDENTIALITY. (a)  
  The state long-term care ombudsman and representatives [or the
  state ombudsman's designee, specifically identified by the
  commissioner,] shall have access to patient care records of
  [elderly] residents as provided by commission rules.  Except as
  provided by Subsection (b), all [of long-term care facilities as
  provided by Subsection (a-1).   The executive commissioner by rule
  shall establish procedures for obtaining access to the records.  
  All] records and information created or obtained by [to which] the
  state long-term care ombudsman or a representative [the state
  ombudsman's designee obtains access] remain confidential.
         (a-1)  The state long-term care ombudsman and
  representatives [or the state ombudsman's designee, specifically
  identified by the commissioner,] shall have access to patient care
  records of a resident [elderly residents of long-term care
  facilities] if:
               (1)  the resident or the resident's legal
  representative consents to the access;
               (2)  the resident is unable to consent to the access and
  the resident has no legal representative; or
               (3)  access to the records is necessary to investigate
  a complaint and:
                     (A)  a legal representative [guardian] of the
  resident refuses to consent to the access;
                     (B)  the state long-term care ombudsman or
  representative [the state ombudsman's designee] has reasonable
  cause to believe that the legal representative of the resident
  [guardian] is not acting in the best interests of the resident; and
                     (C)  the state long-term care ombudsman approves
  the access.
         (b)  The office shall ensure that the identity of a
  complainant or any [facility] resident may be disclosed only with
  the [written] consent of the person or the person's legal
  representative or on court order.
         (c)  Files, records, and other information maintained as
  part of the ombudsman program may be disclosed only at the
  discretion of the state long-term care ombudsman. [The information
  in files maintained by the office may be disclosed only by the
  ombudsman who has authority over the disposition of the files.]
         Sec. 101A.259.  REPORTING SYSTEM.  The office shall maintain
  a statewide ombudsman uniform reporting system to collect and
  analyze information relating to complaints and conditions in
  long-term care facilities as long as such system does not duplicate
  other state reporting systems.  The office shall provide the
  information to the commission in accordance with federal law
  [department and the Health and Human Services Commission].
         Sec. 101A.260.  ANALYSIS OF LAWS.  (a) The office shall
  analyze and monitor the development and implementation of federal,
  state, and local laws, rules, regulations, and policies relating to
  long-term care facilities and services and shall recommend any
  changes the office considers necessary.
         (b)  To the extent necessary to perform any duties under this
  subchapter, Section 556.006(a), Government Code, and Section
  391.0116, Local Government Code, do not apply to the state
  long-term care ombudsman or a representative.
         Sec. 101A.261.  PUBLIC INFORMATION.  The office shall
  provide information and make recommendations to public agencies,
  legislators, and other persons about [others that relates to] the
  problems and concerns of [elderly] residents.
         Sec. 101A.262.  [ANNUAL] REPORT. (a)  The office shall
  prepare a [an annual] report that contains:
               (1)  information and findings relating to the problems
  and concerns [complaints] of [elderly] residents; and
               (2)  policy, regulatory, and legislative
  recommendations to solve the problems, resolve the concerns 
  [complaints], and improve the quality of the [elderly] residents'
  care and lives.
         (b)  The report must be submitted to the governor and the
  presiding officer of each house of the legislature not later than
  November 1 of each even-numbered year.
         Sec. 101A.263.  LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.  The state
  long-term care [An] ombudsman or a representative is not liable for
  civil damages or subject to criminal prosecution for performing
  official duties unless the state long-term care ombudsman or
  representative acts in bad faith or with a malicious purpose.
         Sec. 101A.264.  CRIMINAL PENALTY. (a)  A person commits an
  offense if the person:
               (1)  by act or omission, wilfully [intentionally]
  interferes or attempts to interfere with the state long-term care
  [an] ombudsman or a representative attempting to perform official
  duties; or
               (2)  commits or attempts to commit an act of
  retaliation or reprisal against any resident or employee of a
  long-term care facility for filing a complaint or providing
  information to the state long-term care [an] ombudsman or a
  representative.
         (b)  An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.
         (c)  The commission [department] shall ensure [assure] that
  criminal sanctions will be initiated only after all administrative
  procedures are exhausted.
         SECTION 2.  Section 101A.264, Human Resources Code, as
  amended by this Act, applies only to an offense committed on or
  after the effective date of this Act. An offense committed before
  the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on
  the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued
  in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an
  offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any
  element of the offense occurred before that date.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
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