H.B. No. 2406 introduces new regulations for group home facilities in Texas by adding Chapter 260E to the Health and Safety Code. The bill defines key terms related to group homes and outlines exemptions for certain facilities. It mandates the development of model standards for operation, covering aspects such as construction, sanitation, medication assistance, and staff training. Additionally, it grants counties and municipalities the authority to establish permitting requirements, including the ability to set fees and impose fines for noncompliance. The bill also creates criminal offenses for operating without a permit, classifying it as a Class B misdemeanor, and requires group homes to display their permits and relevant information.

Furthermore, the bill imposes new reporting requirements on counties and municipalities that issue group home permits, mandating an annual report to the commission by September 30, detailing statistics from the previous fiscal year. This includes information on permits issued, denied applications, resident counts, inspections, and incidents requiring law enforcement intervention. The commission is tasked with compiling this data and providing a written report to the legislature every odd-numbered year. The executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission is responsible for developing model standards related to group home facilities, with an effective date set for September 1, 2025.

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