Relating to resident safety from criminal activity in senior retirement communities.

Contracts

• Resident Leases/Service Agreements: You must update all standard resident contracts to include a mandatory disclosure stating whether you require third-party vendors (landscapers, cleaners, etc.) to background check their employees.
• Vendor Master Service Agreements (MSAs): If your resident contract claims you require vendor background checks, you must amend all vendor MSAs to contractually bind them to this requirement to avoid breach of contract / fraud claims.

Hiring/Training

• Mandatory Vetting: You must run a criminal history check via the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) database for every employee. National third-party checks may not satisfy the specific statutory requirement to use the DPS system.
• Staff Training: Community Managers and front-desk staff must be trained on the "Two-Day Clock." They need a protocol to identify when a police report is made so the notification deadline is not missed.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• New Statutory Policy: You must draft and maintain a written "Resident Safety and Communications Policy."
• Mandatory Notices: You must create templates for notifying residents of (1) criminal trespassing and (2) reports of potential criminal activity. These must be issued to all residents and posted in common areas within two business days of the incident.
• Incident Logs: Maintain a timestamped log of when management became aware of an incident and when the notice was posted to prove compliance with the 48-hour window.

Fees & Costs

• Background Check Fees: Budget for immediate Texas DPS database fees for the audit of all current staff and all future hires.
• Administrative Overhead: Increased operational hours dedicated to drafting and distributing notices within tight deadlines.