Comment on Proposed and Draft Rules
Proposed Rules
Formal Comments via the Texas Register
To let the public know about a rulemaking action – such as new, amended or repealed rules – HHS publishes a notice in the Texas Register, a publication of the Texas Secretary of State. Interested parties then can review and comment on the proposed rule. The Secretary of State publishes a new issue of the Texas Register each Friday.
The Administrative Procedure Act (Texas Government Code, Chapter 2001) requires the notice published in the Texas Register to include a brief explanation of the proposed rule and a request for comments from any interested person. The notice has instructions for submitting comments regarding the rule to the agency, including the date by which comments must be submitted. Agencies must give interested persons "a reasonable opportunity" to submit comments. The public comment period begins on the day after the notice of a proposed rule is published in the Texas Register and usually lasts for 31 calendar days. Links to rules will be added once they are published in the Texas Register.
Title | Project No. | Summary | Contact | Comment Period |
---|---|---|---|---|
Title 25 TAC Subchapter F, 1.81, and Subchapter G, 1.91 Military Service License | #23R054 | Military Service License: The proposal implements Senate Bill 422 (88R), by amending §1.81 to add that active military service members that are stationed at a military installation in Texas and are currently licensed in good standing by another jurisdiction that has licensing requirements substantially equivalent. The proposed new §1.91 includes a rule for alternative licensing for military service members, military spouses, and military veterans to address amendments to Occupations Code, Sections 55.004 and 55.005. |
9/29/23–10/20/23 | |
Title 1 TAC, Chapter 351, concerning HHSC Military Service License | #23R069 | HHSC Military Service License: The proposal changes HHSC’s existing rule that recognizes certain out-of-state licenses held by military spouses. As amended, the rule would also apply to military service members. The proposal also makes a new rule for an alternative licensing process. This process is for military service members, spouses, and veterans. Both rules require HHSC to act within 30 days. |
9/29/23–10/20/23 | |
25 TAC Chapter 229, concerning Allergen Poster and Training | #23R052 | Allergen Poster and Training: This rule project implements Senate Bill 812, 88th Legislature, by requiring DSHS-accredited Certified Food Manager (CFM) and Food Handler trainings to include a component on food allergen awareness and CFM examinations to contain questions on food allergen awareness. |
DSHS Consumer Protection Division, Food and Drug Section, Retail Food Safety Operations | 9/22/23–10/13/23 |
1 TAC, Chapter 353, concerning Prior Authorization Timelines Reconsiderations and Information Accessibility | #20R083 | Prior Authorization Timelines Reconsiderations and Information Accessibility: The rules reduce unnecessary prior authorization (PA) denials and delays in Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) decisions, standardize MCO processing of PA requests submitted with incomplete or insufficient documentation or information for a non-hospitalized member and require MCOs to post their PA requirements on their website in an accessible format. The rules implement Texas Government Code provisions added by Senate Bill 1207 from the 86th Legislature. |
HHS Rules Coordination Office | 9/8/23–10/9/23 |
1 TAC, Chapter 354, concerning Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) | #21R152 | Electronic Visit Verification (EVV): These rules require Medicaid providers to use EVV to document providing home health care services to comply with federal law. This helps HHSC maintain federal funding. These rules add policies and procedures currently located in the EVV Policy Handbook. These rules allow HHSC to approve a provider’s proprietary EVV system, whether purchased or developed by the provider and gives providers another option for using an EVV system. These rules implement Senate Bill 1991 from the 86th Regular Session. |
HHSC Electronic Visit Verification Operations | 9/8/23–10/9/23 |
26 TAC, Chapter 555, concerning Nursing Facility Administrator Internships | #22R103 | Nursing Facility Administrator Internships: Texas Health and Safety Code Section 242.302 gives HHSC authority over applicant qualifications for Nursing Facility Administrator licenses. These proposed rule changes give an applicant more ways to qualify for a license based on experience and education, including by removing the 60-bed requirement for administrator-in-training internships. These changes will improve the safety and wellbeing of nursing facility residents by encouraging more qualified people to become licensed. |
HHSC Long-Term Care Regulation Rules | 9/8/23–10/9/23 |
26 TAC, Chapter 749, concerning Provisional Kinship Foster Home Verifications | #22R116 | Provisional Kinship Foster Home Verifications: These rules allow Child-Placing Agencies (CPA) to issue provisional foster home verifications to kinship providers (adults who are related to or who have a longstanding and significant relationship with a foster child). The rules allow flexibility for a CPA to verify and support kinship foster homes as the homes work toward full verification and are directed by Senate Bill 1896, 87(R), 2021. |
HHSC Child Care Regulation Rules | 9/8/23–10/9/23 |
Title 25, Chapter 228, concerning Allergen Poster and Training | #23R052 | Allergen Poster and Training: This rule project implements Senate Bill 812, 88th Legislature, by requiring each retail food establishment to post a food allergen awareness poster in an area regularly accessible to the establishment’s employees. |
DSHS Consumer Protection Division, Food and Drug Section, Retail Food Safety Operations | 9/8/23–10/9/23 |
Draft Rules
Informal Comments
Informal opportunities to comment occur before a rule is published in the Texas Register. HHS staff may solicit informal public and stakeholder input by:
- inviting stakeholders to submit comments on potential rule changes during rule development.
- sharing a draft rule with stakeholders for review.
- using existing HHS advisory committees to comment on rules.
Title | Project No. / Description | Contact | Comment End Date |
---|---|---|---|
Title 26, Chapter 559, concerning Day Activity and Health Services Modernization and Reorganization | #22R117 | HHSC Long-Term Care Regulation Rules | 9/25/23 |
Figures for Title 26, Chapter 559, concerning Day Activity and Health Services Modernization and Reorganization | #22R117 | HHSC Long-Term Care Regulation Rules | 9/25/23 |
Figures for Title 40, Chapter 98, concerning Day Activity and Health Services Modernization and Reorganization | #22R117 | HHSC Long-Term Care Regulation Rules | 9/25/23 |