Bill Text: TX HB2696 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to a study on reducing workplace violence against nurses.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-2)
Status: (Passed) 2015-06-19 - Effective immediately [HB2696 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB2696-Enrolled.html
H.B. No. 2696 |
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relating to a study on reducing workplace violence against nurses. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 105.001, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended by adding Subdivisions (3), (4), (5), and (6) to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(3) "Freestanding emergency medical care facility" | ||
means a facility licensed under Chapter 254. | ||
(4) "Home health agency" means a home and community | ||
support services agency licensed under Chapter 142. | ||
(5) "Hospital" means a general or special hospital | ||
licensed under Chapter 241, a private mental hospital licensed | ||
under Chapter 577, or a hospital that is maintained or operated by | ||
this state or an agency of this state. | ||
(6) "Nursing facility" means an institution licensed | ||
under Chapter 242. | ||
SECTION 2. Chapter 105, Health and Safety Code, is amended | ||
by adding Section 105.009 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 105.009. STUDY ON WORKPLACE VIOLENCE AGAINST NURSES. | ||
(a) To the extent existing funding is available, the nursing | ||
resource section established under Section 105.002 may conduct a | ||
study on workplace violence against nurses in hospitals, | ||
freestanding emergency medical care facilities, nursing | ||
facilities, and home health agencies. A study conducted under this | ||
section must: | ||
(1) distinguish between verbal and physical violence; | ||
(2) determine the practice areas, environments, and | ||
settings in which verbal or physical violence is likely to occur; | ||
(3) identify practices that prevent or reduce verbal | ||
and physical violence against nurses; | ||
(4) survey nurses regarding the type and frequency of | ||
verbal and physical violence the nurses have experienced in the | ||
preceding year and throughout the nurses' careers; and | ||
(5) survey hospitals, freestanding emergency medical | ||
care facilities, nursing facilities, and home health agencies | ||
regarding the occurrence of verbal and physical violence against | ||
nurses and specific strategies implemented to prevent verbal and | ||
physical violence, including: | ||
(A) required reporting of verbal and physical | ||
violence; | ||
(B) reporting of physical assaults to law | ||
enforcement; and | ||
(C) implementation of a violence prevention plan | ||
and the contents of and personnel covered by the plan. | ||
(b) The nursing resource section may contract with an | ||
independent researcher to conduct all or part of the study. | ||
(c) The nursing advisory committee established by Section | ||
104.0155 shall serve as the oversight committee for the study. | ||
(d) To the extent possible, the nursing resource section | ||
shall cooperate with the department and the Texas Board of Nursing | ||
to conduct the study and coordinate the surveys under this section | ||
with surveys required by other provisions of law. | ||
(e) If the nursing resource section conducts a study under | ||
this section, not later than December 1, 2016, the nursing resource | ||
section shall complete the study and publish the study findings. | ||
(f) 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 105.009, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2015. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.B. No. 2696 was passed by the House on May | ||
11, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 112, Nays 22, 1 present, not | ||
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. | ||
No. 2696 on May 28, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 135, Nays 6, | ||
2 present, not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.B. No. 2696 was passed by the Senate, with | ||
amendments, on May 26, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays | ||
2. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: __________________ | ||
Date | ||
__________________ | ||
Governor |