BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1531

By: Howard

Human Services

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

During the 88th Regular Session, the Texas Legislature passed S.B. 240, which directed the establishment of workplace violence committees and prevention policies and plans. S.B. 240 allowed certain health facilities to have the flexibility to adopt, implement, and enforce policies and plans that will streamline incident reporting systems and processes, encourage nurses and other health care workers to report incidents of violence, and ensure that victims receive the treatment that they need. The legislation defined facilities to include hospitals, mental health hospitals, freestanding emergency care facilities, ambulatory surgical centers, nursing facilities and certain home and community support agency facilities. However, the bill author has informed the committee that since the legislation's passage, concerns have been raised by some home and community support agencies that S.B. 240 did not encompass all such agencies because of the limitation within the definition of those agencies, leaving some nurses at these facilities outside the scope of the bill. H.B. 1531 seeks to address this issue by clarifying the definition of home and community support agencies.

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 this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1531 amends the Health and Safety Code to revise the definition of "facility" for purposes of workplace violence prevention requirements by removing the specification that the purpose of a home and community support services agency licensed or licensed and certified under applicable state law that is considered as such a facility is to provide home health services, as defined by that state law. The bill requires a home and community support services agency that becomes subject to statutory provisions relating to workplace violence prevention under the bill's changes to comply with the requirements of those provisions not later than September 1, 2026.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.