S.B. No. 500         AN ACT   relating to creating the criminal offense of operating a boarding   home facility without a permit and to a study regarding the   regulation of group homes.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 260, Health and Safety Code, is amended   by adding Section 260.0051 to read as follows:          Sec. 260.0051.  CRIMINAL PENALTY. (a)  This section applies   only to a county or municipality that requires a person to obtain a   permit to operate a boarding home facility as authorized by Section   260.004.          (b)  A person commits an offense if the person operates a   boarding home facility without a permit in a county or municipality   to which this section applies.          (c)  An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.           SECTION 2.  (a) The Health and Human Services Commission   shall conduct a study on state and local regulation of group homes.          (b)  The study must:                (1)  identify and evaluate state laws relating to the   regulation of group homes, including:                      (A)  a boarding home facility, as defined by   Section 260.001, Health and Safety Code; and                      (B)  a community home, described by Chapter 123,   Human Resources Code;                (2)  analyze the procedures for filing complaints   against group homes and make recommendations to expedite complaint   processes;                (3)  analyze complaints filed against group homes in   the preceding 10 years;                (4)  analyze the enforcement authority over group homes   granted to state and local governmental agencies, including the   authority of counties and municipalities to enforce boarding home   regulations;                (5)  recommend whether additional state and local   governmental enforcement authority over group homes is needed;                (6)  recommend processes to expedite the licensing of   and regulatory procedures for group homes;                (7)  determine whether new categories of group homes   should be licensed or regulated by state or local governmental   agencies;                (8)  discuss and recommend methods for identifying   unlicensed group homes; and                (9)  evaluate whether Section 260.011, Health and   Safety Code, which prohibits a county or municipality from   excluding boarding home facilities from residential areas by zoning   and similar regulations, prevents certain counties and   municipalities from regulating boarding home facilities.          (c)  Not later than December 1, 2022, the Health and Human   Services Commission shall prepare a written or electronic report   that includes a summary of the results of the study conducted under   this section and any legislative recommendations based on the study   and submit the report to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker   of the house of representatives, and members of the standing   committees of the senate and the house of representatives with   jurisdiction over the Health and Human Services Commission.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.             ______________________________ ______________________________      President of the Senate Speaker of the House                 I hereby certify that S.B. No. 500 passed the Senate on       April 29, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that   the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 29, 2021, by the   following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.       ______________________________   Secretary of the Senate                I hereby certify that S.B. No. 500 passed the House, with   amendment, on May 26, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 92,   Nays 55, one present not voting.       ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House            Approved:     ______________________________                Date       ______________________________              Governor