S.B. No. 1275 aims to regulate crisis nursery facilities in Texas, which provide temporary care for children placed there voluntarily by their parents or legal guardians during family crises. The bill introduces a new definition for "crisis nursery facility" in the Human Resources Code, specifying that these facilities offer care and supervision for children to help resolve stressful situations critical to the family's functioning. Additionally, the bill amends existing regulations to include crisis nursery facilities as an exception to certain licensing requirements, ensuring they are recognized within the legal framework.

The bill mandates the executive commissioner to adopt rules governing the operation of crisis nursery facilities, which will include safety and well-being requirements, capacity considerations, and routine financial monitoring. It also allows for the filing of complaints against these facilities and requires regular inspections, particularly when complaints arise. Importantly, the legislation stipulates that a child cannot stay at a crisis nursery facility for more than 72 consecutive hours, although this limit does not apply to residential child-care facilities that also provide crisis nursery services. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Human Resources Code 42.002, Human Resources Code 42.041 (Human Resources Code 42)