The gavel doesn’t drop to open the 2023 Texas legislative session until Jan. 10, but state lawmakers are already giving us an indication of what they will be working on next year.
Assisted living communities and other long-term care facilities in Texas now must make public the number of residents in whom a communicable disease has been diagnosed after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill into law on Monday.
Senate Bill 930, authored by Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) and sponsored by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) and Rep. Mayes Middleton (R-Wallisville), establishes that certain details about the spread of communicable diseases in assisted living communities, continuing care retirement communities and nursing homes is not considered protected health information.
The information includes facility names and locations as well as the number of residents infected, and it is now subject to disclosure by state and local health agencies under the Texas Public Information Act.