Sec. 142.017. ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTY. (a) The department may assess an administrative penalty against a person who violates:

(1) this chapter or a rule adopted under this chapter; or

(2) Section 102.001, Occupations Code, if the violation relates to the provision of home health, hospice, habilitation, or personal assistance services.

(b) The penalty shall be not less than $100 or more than $1,000 for each violation. Each day of a violation that occurs before the day on which the person receives written notice of the violation from the department does not constitute a separate violation and shall be considered to be one violation. Each day of a continuing violation that occurs after the day on which the person receives written notice of the violation from the department constitutes a separate violation.

(c) The executive commissioner by rule shall specify each violation for which the department may assess an administrative penalty. In determining which violations warrant penalties, the department shall consider:

(1) the seriousness of the violation, including the nature, circumstances, extent, and gravity of the violation and the hazard of the violation to the health or safety of clients; and

(2) whether the affected home and community support services agency had identified the violation as a part of its internal quality assurance process and had made appropriate progress on correction.

(d) The executive commissioner by rule shall establish a schedule of appropriate and graduated penalties for each violation based on:

(1) the seriousness of the violation, including the nature, circumstances, extent, and gravity of the violation and the hazard or safety of clients;

(2) the history of previous violations by the person or a controlling person with respect to that person;

(3) whether the affected home and community support services agency had identified the violation as a part of its internal quality assurance process and had made appropriate progress on correction;

(4) the amount necessary to deter future violations;

(5) efforts made to correct the violation; and

(6) any other matters that justice may require.

(e) Except as provided by Subsection (j), the executive commissioner by rule shall provide the home and community support services agency with a reasonable period of time following the first day of a violation to correct the violation before the department assesses an administrative penalty if a plan of correction has been implemented.

(f) An administrative penalty may not be assessed for minor violations unless those violations are of a continuing nature or are not corrected.

(g) The executive commissioner shall establish a system to ensure standard and consistent application of penalties regardless of the home and community support services agency location.

(h) All proceedings for the assessment of an administrative penalty under this chapter are subject to Chapter 2001, Government Code.

(i) The department may not assess an administrative penalty against a state agency.

(j) The department may assess an administrative penalty without providing a reasonable period of time to the agency to correct the violation if the violation:

(1) results in serious harm or death;

(2) constitutes a serious threat to health or safety;

(3) substantially limits the agency's capacity to provide care;

(4) is a violation in which a person:

(A) makes a false statement, that the person knows or should know is false, of a material fact:

(i) on an application for issuance or renewal of a license or in an attachment to the application; or

(ii) with respect to a matter under investigation by the department;

(B) refuses to allow a representative of the department to inspect a book, record, or file required to be maintained by an agency;

(C) wilfully interferes with the work of a representative of the department or the enforcement of this chapter;

(D) wilfully interferes with a representative of the department preserving evidence of a violation of this chapter or a rule, standard, or order adopted or license issued under this chapter;

(E) fails to pay a penalty assessed by the department under this chapter not later than the 10th day after the date the assessment of the penalty becomes final; or

(F) fails to submit:

(i) a plan of correction not later than the 10th day after the date the person receives a statement of licensing violations; or

(ii) an acceptable plan of correction not later than the 30th day after the date the person receives notification from the department that the previously submitted plan of correction is not acceptable;

(5) is a violation of Section 142.0145; or

(6) involves the rights of the elderly under Chapter 102, Human Resources Code.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1191, Sec. 7, eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 276, Sec. 10, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 14.778, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 809 (S.B. 1318), Sec. 9, eff. September 1, 2007.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 3.0406, eff. April 2, 2015.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 826 (H.B. 4001), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2015.