Texas Disability Law - Safety and Protection from Abuse and Neglect

Texas Law

Provides protection through investigation, and resolution of allegations of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of individuals with disabilities.
Provides specific protection for students of the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD), and the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI).
Requires allegations of abuse to be reported within 48 hours.
Requires any person to report all incidents of abuse of a person who is elderly or has a disability.
Provides a system to report abuse of persons who are residents of State facilities serving people with mental illness and or mental retardation.
Provides criminal liability for nursing home employees who fail to report incidents of abuse, or neglect of residents.
Provides that all State agencies use standardized definitions of abuse, neglect and exploitation and maintain consistent procedures with each other for investigation of incidents.
Bars persons with certain convictions from working directly with clients in facilities serving people who are elderly or have disabilities.
Provides increased penalties for sexual assault of victims with disabilities.
Prohibits a provider from retaliation against anyone making an allegation or providing information of abuse, neglect or exploitation.