By: Reynolds, et al. H.B. No. 149
        (Senate Sponsor - Kolkhorst, Miles)
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 19, 2021;
  May 10, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Health &
  Human Services; May 21, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0;
  May 21, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 149 By:  Powell
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to a study to evaluate state and local regulation of group
  homes.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  (a) The Health and Human Services Commission
  shall conduct a study on state and local regulation of group homes.
         (b)  The study must:
               (1)  identify and evaluate state laws relating to the
  regulation of group homes, including:
                     (A)  a boarding home facility, as defined by
  Section 260.001, Health and Safety Code; and
                     (B)  a community home, described by Chapter 123,
  Human Resources Code;
               (2)  analyze the procedures for filing complaints
  against group homes and make recommendations to expedite complaint
  processes;
               (3)  analyze complaints filed against group homes in
  the preceding 10 years;
               (4)  analyze the enforcement authority over group homes
  granted to state and local governmental agencies, including the
  authority of counties and municipalities to enforce boarding home
  regulations;
               (5)  recommend whether additional state and local
  governmental enforcement authority over group homes is needed;
               (6)  recommend processes to expedite the licensing of
  and regulatory procedures for group homes;
               (7)  determine whether new categories of group homes
  should be licensed or regulated by state or local governmental
  agencies;
               (8)  discuss and recommend methods for identifying
  unlicensed group homes; and
               (9)  evaluate whether Section 260.011, Health and
  Safety Code, which prohibits a county or municipality from
  excluding boarding home facilities from residential areas by zoning
  and similar regulations, prevents certain counties and
  municipalities from regulating boarding home facilities.
         (c)  Not later than December 1, 2022, the Health and Human
  Services Commission shall prepare a written or electronic report
  that includes a summary of the results of the study conducted under
  this section and any legislative recommendations based on the study
  and submit the report to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker
  of the house of representatives, and members of the standing
  committees of the senate and the house of representatives with
  jurisdiction over the Health and Human Services Commission.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
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