By: Kolkhorst S.R. No. 552
 
 
SENATE RESOLUTION
         BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Texas, 87th
  Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, That Senate Rule 12.03 be
  suspended in part as provided by Senate Rule 12.08 to enable the
  conference committee appointed to resolve the differences on
  House Bill 3720 (long-term care facilities for and Medicaid
  waiver programs available to certain individuals, including
  individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities) to
  consider and take action on the following matters:
         (1)  Senate Rule 12.03(2) is suspended to permit the
  committee to omit text not in disagreement by omitting proposed
  Section 531.06035, Government Code, and the transition language
  associated with that section. The omitted text imposes a duty on
  the Health and Human Services Commission to conduct a medical
  necessity assessment of a child who receives Supplemental
  Security Income (SSI) before placing the child on the interest
  list for the medically dependent children (MDCP) program.
         Explanation: The omission of the text is necessary to
  remove the duty imposed on the Health and Human Services
  Commission to conduct certain medical necessity assessments of a
  child who receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI) before
  placing the child on the interest list for the medically
  dependent children (MDCP) program.
         (2)  Senate Rule 12.03(4) is suspended to permit the
  committee to add text on a matter not included in either the house
  or senate version of the bill by adding the following new SECTION
  to the bill:
         SECTION 1.  Section 531.0581(b), Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The executive commissioner shall establish a
  Long-Term Care Facilities Council as a permanent advisory
  committee to the commission. The council is composed of the
  following members appointed by the executive commissioner:
               (1)  at least one member who is a for-profit nursing
  facility provider;
               (2)  at least one member who is a nonprofit nursing
  facility provider;
               (3)  at least one member who is an assisted living
  services provider;
               (4)  at least one member responsible for survey
  enforcement within the state survey and certification agency;
               (5)  at least one member responsible for survey
  inspection within the state survey and certification agency;
               (6)  at least one member of the state agency
  responsible for informal dispute resolution;
               (7)  at least one member with expertise in Medicaid
  quality-based payment systems for long-term care facilities;
               (8)  at least one member who is a practicing medical
  director of a long-term care facility; [and]
               (9)  at least one member who is a physician with
  expertise in infectious disease or public health; and
               (10)  at least one member who is a community-based
  provider at an intermediate care facility for individuals with
  intellectual or developmental disabilities licensed under
  Chapter 252, Health and Safety Code.
         Explanation: This addition is necessary to change the
  composition of the Texas Long-Term Care Facilities Council to
  include at least one member who is a community-based provider at
  certain intermediate care facilities.
         (3)  Senate Rule 12.03(4) is suspended to permit the
  committee to add text on a matter not included in either the house
  or senate version of the bill by adding the following new
  SECTIONS to the bill:
         SECTION 3.  Section 252.065(b), Health and Safety Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The penalty for a facility with fewer than 60 beds
  shall be not less than $100 or more than $1,000 for each
  violation. The penalty for a facility with 60 beds or more shall
  be not less than $100 or more than $5,000 for each violation.
  Each day a violation occurs or continues is a separate violation
  for purposes of imposing a penalty. The total amount of
  penalties [a penalty] assessed under this subsection for an
  on-site regulatory visit or complaint investigation, regardless
  of the duration of any ongoing violations, [for each day a
  violation occurs or continues] may not exceed:
               (1)  $5,000 for a facility with fewer than 60 beds;
  and
               (2)  $25,000 for a facility with 60 beds or more.
         SECTION 4.  Section 161.089, Human Resources Code, is
  amended by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to
  read as follows:
         (c)  After consulting with appropriate stakeholders, the
  executive commissioner shall develop and adopt rules regarding
  the imposition of administrative penalties under this section.
  The rules must:
               (1)  specify the types of violations that warrant
  imposition of an administrative penalty;
               (2)  establish a schedule of progressive
  administrative penalties in accordance with the relative type,
  frequency, and seriousness of a violation;
               (3)  prescribe reasonable amounts to be imposed for
  each violation giving rise to an administrative penalty, subject
  to Subdivision (4);
               (4)  authorize the imposition of an administrative
  penalty in an amount not to exceed $5,000 for each violation;
               (5)  provide that a provider commits a separate
  violation each day the provider continues to violate the law or
  rule;
               (6)  ensure standard and consistent application of
  administrative penalties throughout the state; [and]
               (7)  provide for an administrative appeals process
  to adjudicate claims and appeals relating to the imposition of an
  administrative penalty under this section that is in accordance
  with Chapter 2001, Government Code; and
               (8)  ensure standard and consistent interpretation
  of service delivery rules and consistent application of
  administrative penalties throughout this state.
         (c-1)  On adoption of the rules under Subsection (c), the
  executive commissioner shall develop interpretative guidelines
  for regulatory staff and providers regarding the imposition of
  administrative penalties under this section.
         SECTION 6.  Not later than December 1, 2021, the executive
  commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall
  adopt the rules necessary to implement Section 252.065(b),
  Health and Safety Code, as amended by this Act, and Section
  161.089, Human Resources Code, as amended by this Act.
         SECTION 7.  The Health and Human Services Commission may
  not assess a penalty under Section 161.089, Human Resources Code,
  as amended by this Act, until the executive commissioner of the
  Health and Human Services Commission:
               (1)  adopts the rules necessary to implement Section
  161.089(c)(8), Human Resources Code, as added by this Act; and
               (2)  develops the interpretive guidelines required
  by Section 161.089(c-1), Human Resources Code, as added by this
  Act.
         Explanation: The changes are necessary to implement
  certain changes to law relating to the imposition of
  administrative penalties against certain long-term care
  facilities, including a change to the amount of an administrative
  penalty for certain violations committed by intermediate care
  facilities for individuals with an intellectual disability and a
  change to ensure the executive commissioner of the Health and
  Human Services Commission adopts standard and consistent rules
  relating to the interpretation and consistent application of
  administrative penalties against certain long-term care
  facilities.
 
 
 
 
    _______________________________ 
        President of the Senate
     
         I hereby certify that the
    above Resolution was adopted by
    the Senate on May 30, 2021, by the
  following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
   
   
   
    _______________________________ 
        Secretary of the Senate