| 1 | 1 | | 84R1027 EES-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Crownover H.B. No. 967 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to a pilot project to evaluate the use of radio frequency |
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| 8 | 8 | | identification technology to transmit information regarding |
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| 9 | 9 | | residents of certain group homes. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 161, Human Resources Code, |
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| 12 | 12 | | is amended by adding Section 161.088 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 161.088. RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION TECHNOLOGY |
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| 14 | 14 | | PILOT PROJECT. (a) In this section, "radio frequency |
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| 15 | 15 | | identification technology" means a wireless identification system |
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| 16 | 16 | | that uses an electromagnetic radio frequency signal to transmit |
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| 17 | 17 | | data without physical contact between a card, badge, or tag and |
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| 18 | 18 | | another device. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) The department shall develop and implement a one-year |
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| 20 | 20 | | pilot project in which a resident of a group home, other than a |
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| 21 | 21 | | foster home, at which a Home and Community-based Services (HCS) |
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| 22 | 22 | | provider provides services may use an identification device that |
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| 23 | 23 | | uses radio frequency identification technology or similar |
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| 24 | 24 | | technology to identify the resident, transmit information |
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| 25 | 25 | | regarding the resident, or track the location of the resident. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (c) Before a resident may use an identification device |
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| 27 | 27 | | described in Subsection (b), the department must obtain the written |
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| 28 | 28 | | consent of the resident or the resident's guardian, as appropriate. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (d) The department may not require a resident to pay for an |
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| 30 | 30 | | identification device described in Subsection (b) as a condition of |
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| 31 | 31 | | participating in the pilot project. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (e) Not later than December 1, 2017, the department shall |
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| 33 | 33 | | submit a report to the legislature evaluating the pilot project. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (f) This section expires September 1, 2019. |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2016, the Department of |
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| 36 | 36 | | Aging and Disability Services shall ensure that the pilot project |
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| 37 | 37 | | required by Section 161.088, Human Resources Code, as added by this |
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| 38 | 38 | | Act, is in operation. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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| 40 | 40 | | a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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| 41 | 41 | | federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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| 42 | 42 | | the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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| 43 | 43 | | authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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| 44 | 44 | | waiver or authorization is granted. |
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| 45 | 45 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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