The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services convened to discuss various pieces of legislation, addressing critical issues affecting healthcare and social services in Texas. Notable discussions included Senate Bill 481, which mandates backup power provisions for nursing homes and assisted living facilities to ensure the safety of vulnerable residents during outages, and Senate Bill 596, aimed at improving reporting requirements related to child welfare, enhancing the oversight of removals and placements. The committee also reviewed several other bills aimed at supporting healthcare access and enhancing protections for children under various circumstances.
The meeting of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services addressed several significant pieces of legislation focused primarily on health and welfare issues in Texas. One of the central topics was SB1233, which aims to provide perinatal palliative care information to families receiving diagnoses of life-threatening conditions. Testimonies highlighted the importance of immediate access to support resources, as speakers shared personal experiences illustrating the emotional and medical implications of these diagnoses. Additionally, SB1368 was discussed, focusing on emergency preparedness within assisted living and nursing facilities, emphasizing the need for actionable contingency plans to protect vulnerable residents during power outages and emergencies. The committee explored how to ensure compliance with new standards while considering the realities faced by these facilities, especially in determining the appropriate levels of emergency power backup requirements.
Relating to rules regarding the provision by a health professional of a telemedicine medical service, teledentistry dental service, or telehealth service.
Relating to an application for a ballot to be voted by mail submitted by certain residents of an assisted living facility, a nursing facility, or an intermediate care facility.
Relating to the authority of certain medical consenters to assume financial responsibility for certain out-of-network medical care provided to children in foster care.
Relating to an emergency preparedness and contingency operations plan, including temperature regulation, for nursing facility and assisted living facility residents during an emergency; providing penalties.
Relating to certain procedures in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship for a child placed in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services and the provision of family preservation services and community-based foster care.
Relating to the liability of nonprofit entities contracted with the Department of Family and Protective Services or with a single source continuum contractor to provide community-based care or child welfare services.
Relating to the contract requirements for a contract between a single source continuum contractor and the Department of Family and Protective Services.
Relating to the emergency possession of certain abandoned children by designated emergency infant care providers and the termination of parental rights to those children.