As reported in the Dallas Morning News today, a spending provision approved by the Texas House this week might reduce fire hazards at Texas nursing homes. This is a long overdue step, as safety conditions at many Texas nursing homes are atrocious. Standards are lax, and inspections are sporadic. Here are excerpts from the article:
Rep. Carol Kent, the Dallas Democrat who tacked the provision on an emergency spending bill, said 33 of the nearly 1,100 nursing homes in Texas have inadequate fire suppression systems.Seniors deserve to have their basic safety needs met, and that obviously should include sprinklers.”
Kent said her provision would direct the Department of Aging and Disability Services to spend $3 million.
She added it to an amendment stripping some $68 million in computer purchases from an emergency bill that would use $3.3 billion in stimulus funds to fill holes in the current two-year budget and free up state funds for the next budget cycle.
