HBA-DMH H.B. 640 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 640
By: Turner, Sylvester
Public Health
4/6/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Texas Department of Health (TDH) establishes sanitation standards for
public restrooms in public buildings.  Currently, schools are exempt from
the standards established by TDH which  maintain restrooms in good order to
preclude the probability of disease transmission.  House Bill 640 requires
TDH  to adopt reasonable rules regarding sanitation in public school
restrooms and provides minimum requirements. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Department of Health in
SECTION 1 (Section 341.065, Health and Safety Code) of this bill. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 640 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the Texas
Department of Health (department) to adopt reasonable rules regarding
sanitation in public school restrooms.  The bill provides that the rules
must require at a minimum that a restroom provide hand cleaner, a sanitary
method to dry hands, and hot and cold running water.  The bill requires the
department to send any such proposed rules to the Texas Education Agency
for review and comment.  The bill requires the department to inspect each
public school for compliance with adopted rules at least once every three
years, and to allow school districts reasonable time to comply with adopted
rules. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.