The bill, S.B. No. 626, amends Section 161.133(a) of the Health and Safety Code to enhance inservice training requirements for certain health care facilities, specifically inpatient mental health facilities, treatment facilities, and hospitals providing comprehensive medical rehabilitation services. The new provisions mandate that these facilities provide a minimum of eight hours of initial inservice training for new employees and three hours of continuing inservice training for continuing employees. This training is aimed at equipping employees and health care professionals with the skills necessary to identify patient abuse or neglect, as well as illegal, unprofessional, or unethical conduct within the facility. The bill stipulates that the amended training requirements will apply to health care facilities from the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025. Any training hours provided before this date will be governed by the previous law, ensuring a smooth transition to the new requirements. This legislative change reflects a commitment to improving the standards of care and accountability in health care settings.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Health and Safety Code 161.133 (Health and Safety Code 161)