Senior Living Bill Requires Backup Power For 72 Hours

The text as introduced · 1,660 words

89R5058 SCR-D

By: Lalani
H.B. No. 863

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to senior independent living communities; providing civil

and administrative penalties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Senior Independent

Living Protection Act.

SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 418, Government Code, is

amended by adding Section 418.059 to read as follows:

Sec. 418.059. SENIOR INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY HEALTH

AND SAFETY PLAN DATABASE. (a) In this section:

(1) "Health and safety plan" means a health and safety

policy and plan prepared by a senior independent living community

under Section 786.003, Health and Safety Code.

(2) "Senior independent living community" has the

meaning assigned by Section 786.001, Health and Safety Code.

(b) The division shall:

(1) establish, maintain, and annually update a

statewide database of senior independent living communities that

includes the health and safety plan filed by each senior

independent living community under Section 786.003(c), Health and

Safety Code; and

(2) make the database accessible to state and local

emergency response and emergency management agencies for the

purpose of coordinating emergency response activities and

emergency management.

(c) The division may impose an administrative penalty on a

senior independent living community that fails to file a health and

safety plan as required by Section 786.003(c), Health and Safety

Code, or violates a rule adopted under this section.

(d) Information in the database is confidential and exempt

from disclosure under Chapter 552.

(e) The division shall prescribe and periodically update a

standard template for a senior independent living community to

prepare and submit a health and safety plan.

(f) The division shall adopt rules as necessary to implement

this section, including rules to:

(1) ensure the protection of sensitive information,

including personal data of residents of senior independent living

communities; and

(2) prescribe the form and manner in which a senior

independent living community may submit a health and safety plan to

the division under Section 786.003(c), Health and Safety Code.

SECTION 3. Subtitle B, Title 9, Health and Safety Code, is

amended by adding Chapter 786 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 786. SENIOR INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITIES

Sec. 786.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Common amenity" means an amenity or service

offered or provided to residents of a multiunit residential

property, including:

(A) concierge services;

(B) a library;

(C) common dining services;

(D) housekeeping services; and

(E) full-time security.

(2) "Resident" means an individual who resides in a

senior independent living community as a unit owner or tenant.

(3) "Senior independent living community" means a

residential community or a portion of a residential community that:

(A) is intended and operated for occupancy by at

least one individual 55 years of age or older for each unit;

(B) contains not fewer than 20 residential units

in one or more multiunit buildings that are available to occupy; and

(C) provides common amenities.

(4) "Senior independent living community contract"

means a contract with a resident of a senior independent living

community for providing a common amenity to a resident.

(5) "Unit" means a physical portion of a residential

property designated for separate ownership or occupancy.

Sec. 786.002. EXEMPTIONS. This chapter does not apply to:

(1) a health care institution as defined by Section

74.001, Civil Practice and Remedies Code;

(2) a boarding home facility as defined by Section

260.001 that holds a permit issued under Chapter 260;

(3) a supportive housing facility for elderly

individuals operated under Section 202, the National Housing Act

(12 U.S.C. Section 1701q);

(4) a center for independent living as defined by

Section 702 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C.

Section 796a); or

(5) any other facility that is regulated by the Health

and Human Services Commission or in accordance with rules adopted

by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Sec. 786.003. RESIDENT HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY AND PLAN.

(a) A senior independent living community shall prepare, maintain,

and annually update a health and safety policy and plan.

(b) A health and safety policy and plan maintained under

this section must include information regarding:

(1) health and safety measures and protocols for

responding to an emergency, including a power outage or disaster as

defined by Section 418.004, Government Code;

(2) medical support services available to residents;

and

(3) the emergency power generation capability of the

community.

(c) A senior independent living community shall:

(1) annually file the health and safety policy and

plan with:

(A) the Texas Division of Emergency Management as

provided by Section 418.059, Government Code, and rules adopted

under that section; and

(B) each local government agency responsible for

providing emergency response services to the community;

(2) send the health and safety policy and plan to each

resident; and

(3) post a written notice of the health and safety

policy and plan in a conspicuous manner at a location on the

community premises where the community posts other community

notices.

Sec. 786.004. EMERGENCY GENERATOR OR OTHER POWER SOURCE. A

senior independent living community shall ensure that the community

is equipped with an operational emergency generator or comparable

emergency power source and a sufficient amount of fuel to operate

the generator or power source and maintain the air temperature at

not less than 68 degrees and not more than 81 degrees Fahrenheit for

a minimum of 72 hours during a power outage.

Sec. 786.005. AGREEMENT OR CONTRACT PROVISIONS. (a) In

this section:

(1) "Assisted living facility" has the meaning

assigned by Section 247.002.

(2) "Continuing care" has the meaning assigned by

Section 246.0025.

(3) "Nursing facility" has the meaning assigned by

Section 242.301.

(b) A lease, rental, or purchase agreement for a residential

unit in a senior independent living community or a senior

independent living community contract with a resident:

(1) must:

(A) disclose that the community is not an

assisted living facility, nursing facility, or a facility that

provides continuing care to an individual and is not regulated in

the same manner as those facilities; and

(B) explain in plain language the difference in

the regulation of and services offered by a senior independent

living community and the regulation of and services offered by a

facility described by Paragraph (A); and

(2) may not include a provision that controls the

content or execution of the resident's advance directive or

testamentary documents.

Sec. 786.006. HEALTH AND SAFETY INVESTIGATIONS AND RESIDENT

COMMUNICATIONS. A senior independent living community may not:

(1) prevent or inhibit a resident from or penalize a

resident for communicating with a law enforcement officer, social

worker, family member, or other interested person regarding the

health and safety of residents of the senior independent living

community; or

(2) prevent a law enforcement officer, court officer,

social worker, family member, or other interested person from

entering a common area of the senior independent living community

to conduct a voluntary interview with a resident as part of an

investigation into the health and safety of residents of the

community or regarding an incident at the community.

Sec. 786.007. CIVIL PENALTY. A senior independent living

community that violates this chapter is liable to the state for a

civil penalty of not more than $1,000 for each violation. Each day

a violation continues constitutes a separate violation. The

attorney general may bring an action to collect a civil penalty

under this section at the request of the Health and Human Services

Commission or the Texas Division of Emergency Management.

SECTION 4. Section 38.072, Utilities Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 38.072. PRIORITIES FOR POWER RESTORATION TO CERTAIN

[ MEDICAL ] FACILITIES AND COMMUNITIES . (a) In this section:

(1) "Assisted living facility" has the meaning

assigned by Section 247.002, Health and Safety Code.

(2) "End stage renal disease facility" has the meaning

assigned by Section 251.001, Health and Safety Code.

(3) "Extended power outage" has the meaning assigned

by Section 13.1395, Water Code.

(4) "Hospice services" has the meaning assigned by

Section 142.001, Health and Safety Code.

(5) "Nursing facility" has the meaning assigned by

Section 242.301, Health and Safety Code.

(6) "Senior independent living community" has the

meaning assigned by Section 786.001, Health and Safety Code.

(b) The commission by rule shall require an electric utility

to give to the following the same priority that it gives to a

hospital in the utility's emergency operations plan for restoring

power after an extended power outage:

(1) a nursing facility;

(2) an assisted living facility;

(3) an end stage renal disease facility; [ and ]

(4) a facility that provides hospice services ; and

(5) a senior independent living community .

(c) The rules adopted by the commission under Subsection (b)

must allow an electric utility to exercise the electric utility's

discretion to prioritize power restoration for a facility or

community after an extended power outage in accordance with the

facility's or community's needs and with the characteristics of the

geographic area in which power must be restored.

(d) A municipally owned utility shall report the emergency

operations plan for restoring power to a facility or community

listed in Subsection (b) to the municipality's governing body or

the body vested with the power to manage and operate the municipally

owned utility.

(e) An electric cooperative shall report the emergency

operations plan for restoring power to a facility or community

listed in Subsection (b) to the board of directors of the electric

cooperative.

SECTION 5. (a) Not later than December 31, 2025, the Texas

Division of Emergency Management shall adopt rules for the

implementation of Section 418.059, Government Code, as added by

this Act.

(b) A senior independent living community is not required to

comply with Section 786.003, Health and Safety Code, as added by

this Act, before January 1, 2026.

(c) Section 786.005, Health and Safety Code, as added by

this Act, applies only to an agreement or contract entered into or

renewed on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.