By: Noble, Guillen H.B. No. 3079

(Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini, West)

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 29, 2019; April 29, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on Health & Human Services; May 16, 2019, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 16, 2019, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to investigations of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of home and community support services agencies providing inpatient hospice services.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 142, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Section 142.0095 to read as follows:

Sec. 142.0095. INVESTIGATIONS OF HOME AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES AGENCIES PROVIDING HOSPICE SERVICES. The commission or its authorized representative shall investigate an allegation of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a client of any age of a home and community support services agency if:

(1) the abuse, neglect, or exploitation occurs when the client is receiving inpatient hospice services; and

(2) the alleged perpetrator of the abuse, neglect, or exploitation is an employee, volunteer, contractor, or subcontractor of the home and community support services agency.

SECTION 2. Section 142.0095, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, applies only to an allegation made on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2019.

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