The bills below could impact State Supported Living Centers that provide services to people with disabilities in Texas.
Contents
State Supported Living Centers Bills — Passed
| BILL | AUTHOR | DESCRIPTION, REMARKS, LAST ACTION |
|---|---|---|
| SB 546 | Lois Kolkhorst | Relating to the quality of water provided by public drinking water supply systems to state supported living centers. |
| no data | no data | Remarks: Will require the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services/Health and Human Services Commission, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to develop a water monitoring strategy including education materials for residents and staff. Requires a review of public notification procedures, sampling protocols, and remediation activities. Also requires on-site evaluation of sampling and inspections. |
| no data | no data | Last Action: 06-09-17 G Earliest effective date |
| SB 547 | Lois Kolkhorst | Relating to creation of a schedule of support services a state supported living center may provide and procedures for establishing applicable fees for those services. |
| no data | no data | Remarks: Will require the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to establish a process for state supported living centers (SSLCs) to be paid for services provided to people in community-based services. Also allows SSLCs to charge managed care organizations a different rate than the rate established by HHSC. |
| no data | no data | Last Action: 05-29-17 G Earliest effective date |
| SB 1300 | Charles Perry | Relating to the designation of the San Angelo State Supported Living Center as a forensic state supported living center. |
| no data | no data | Remarks: Will designate San Angelo SSLC as a forensic SSLC in addition to the Mexia SSLC. Currently, San Angelo SSLC provides forensic supports to women and girls. Mexia SSLC currently provides forensic services to men and boys. |
| no data | no data | Last Action: 09-01-17 G Earliest effective date |
| SB 1565 | Lois Kolkhorst | Relating to the procedure for ordering medical or dental services for certain persons admitted to or committed to care at certain state facilities. |
| no data | no data | Remarks: Will modify the types of providers required to consent to medical or dental treatment for an SSLC resident when the guardian is immediately unresponsive. Removes the requirement that at least one physician be in private practice. |
| no data | no data | Last Action: 09-01-17 G Earliest effective date |
| SCR 33 | Lois Kolkhorst | Approving the amended 2009 settlement agreement between the State of Texas and the U.S. Department of Justice. |
| no data | no data | Remarks: Will provide the legislative approval required for Texas to amend the system-wide settlement agreement (the "2009 Settlement Agreement") with the U.S. Department of Justice relating to their investigations of the SSLCs operated by the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS). |
| no data | no data | Last Action: 06-12-17 G Signed by the Governor |
State Supported Living Centers Bills — Not Passed
| BILL | AUTHOR | DESCRIPTION, REMARKS, LAST ACTION |
|---|---|---|
| HB 1153 | Sarah Davis | Relating to the offense involving the carrying of handguns by license holders on the premises of state hospitals and state supported living centers. |
| no data | no data | Remarks: Would have prohibited concealed handguns at state hospitals, nursing facilities, and state supported living centers (SSLCs), unless the concealed handgun license holder had written authorization from the administration of the hospital, facility, or center. |
| no data | no data | Last Action: 02-21-17 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Public Health |
| HB 1932 | Toni Rose | Relating to compensation received by state employees working in certain high injury risk positions. |
| no data | no data | Remarks: Would have replaced the term "hazardous duty" with "high injury risk" and made SSLC employees and state hospital employees (if the employee was in direct contact with patients for more than 50% of the time) eligible for "high injury risk" pay and benefits. |
| no data | no data | Last Action: 05-03-17 H Committee action pending House State Affairs |
| SB 602 | Chuy Hinojosa | Relating to the establishment of a restructuring commission to evaluate each state supported living center. |
| no data | no data | Remarks: Would have established an SSLC restructuring commission to determine up to five SSLCs for closure or consolidation by 2027. |
| no data | no data | Last Action: 05-11-17 H Referred to House Committee on House Human Services |
| SB 1050 | Kirk Watson | Relating to the sale of real property on which a state supported living center is located. |
| no data | no data | Remarks: Would have required, in the event of the sale of an SSLC, that the city or county in which the SSLC is located have priority in purchasing the SSLC property. Would have not given the city or county priority over the state agency for purchasing the SSLC property. |
| no data | no data | Last Action: 03-06-17 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Health and Human Services |
| SB 1583 | Sylvia Garcia | Relating to the commitment of a defendant who is found incompetent to stand trial and who is a person with an intellectual disability. |
| no data | no data | Remarks: Would have required a person with an intellectual disability who is charged with certain criminal offenses to be committed to a designated forensic SSLC. If the person was determined not to be high risk, the person would be transferred to another SSLC or a program designated by a Local IDD Authority (LIDDA) no later than 30 days after a person arrived at the forensic SSLC. |
| no data | no data | Last Action: 03-21-17 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Criminal Justice |
| SB 2025 | Judith Zaffirini | Relating to the establishment of a peer support program for residents of state supported living centers. |
| no data | no data | Remarks: Would have required the SSLC Office of Independent Ombudsman to develop and implement in each SSLC a peer support program to help make residents more aware of their rights and circumstances, protect their rights, and increase accountability of the staff. Would have established peer support specialists to provide supportive services to residents. |
| no data | no data | Last Action: 03-27-17 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Health and Human Services |
| SB 2125 | Judith Zaffirini | Relating to the period for which a defendant with an intellectual disability who is found incompetent to stand trial may be civilly committed before the court holds a hearing. |
| no data | no data | Remarks: Would have required that a defendant committed to a residential care facility by order of the court to be authorized to live there for a maximum period of 12 months. Would have allowed for the option to renew the court order for an additional 12-month period. |
| no data | no data | Last Action: 03-28-17 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Criminal Justice |