H.B. No. 2696

	AN ACT
	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