84R6754 LED-D
By: Howard H.B. No. 2696
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a grant program for, and a study on, reducing workplace
violence in certain health facilities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 1001, Health and Safety Code, is amended
by adding Subchapter J to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER J. WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION GRANTS FOR CERTAIN
HEALTH FACILITIES
Sec. 1001.301. WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION GRANTS IN
HEALTH FACILITIES. (a) The department shall administer a grant
program to fund de-escalation and crisis intervention training in
health facilities licensed by the department to prevent and reduce
instances of workplace violence.
(b) To receive a grant, a licensed health facility must
demonstrate an elevated risk of workplace violence to facility
staff and volunteers and include in the grant application any
instance of workplace violence that occurred at the facility in the
preceding two years.
(c) Not later than the second anniversary of the date a
facility receives a grant under this section, the facility shall
compile a report describing the effects of the de-escalation and
crisis intervention training in the facility, including any change
in the number of instances of workplace violence in the facility.
(d) Not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year,
the department shall submit to the governor, lieutenant governor,
and speaker of the house of representatives a report on the grants
awarded under this section, including the amount of each grant and
the rate of success in reducing instances of workplace violence in
the health facilities or in maintaining low rates of workplace
violence in the health facilities.
(e) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules to
implement the grant program, including rules governing the
submission and approval of grant requests and establishing a
reporting procedure for a grant recipient.
SECTION 2. (a) The Department of State Health Services
shall conduct a study on workplace violence in health facilities
licensed by the department. The study must:
(1) determine the facilities with the highest
incidence of workplace violence;
(2) determine the staff and volunteers in those
facilities that are most at risk for workplace violence; and
(3) include recommendations on best practices to
address workplace violence to prevent its occurrence.
(b) Not later than December 31, 2016, the Department of
State Health Services shall submit a report containing the results
of the study conducted under Subsection (a) of this section to the
governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of
representatives.
(c) This section expires December 31, 2017.
SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
Services Commission shall adopt the rules necessary to implement
Section 1001.301, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.