Relating to the eligibility of certain individuals for certification as certain juvenile officers or employees of a juvenile facility.

Contracts

• Vendor MSAs: You must amend Master Service Agreements with staffing agencies, medical providers, and security firms. Insert clauses requiring vendors to certify that deployed staff are not designated as "ineligible" by TJJD.
• Indemnification: Add specific indemnification provisions protecting your facility from liability if a vendor supplies an individual deemed ineligible by TJJD.
• Employment Agreements: Update "Termination for Cause" definitions to include conduct resulting in TJJD ineligibility or temporary suspension.

Hiring/Training

• Expanded Screening: Pre-employment background checks must now verify that *any* applicant (not just certified officers) is not on the TJJD permanent ineligibility list.
• "Imminent Threat" Protocol: Train HR and site supervisors on immediate removal procedures. If TJJD convenes an emergency panel and issues a temporary ineligibility order, you must have a mechanism to remove that individual from the floor immediately.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Evidence Preservation: You must retain internal investigation files, witness statements, and disciplinary records indefinitely for any termination involving misconduct. These records will be primary evidence if a former employee appeals their ineligibility at the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH).
• Notification Logs: Maintain a secure log of all eligibility status notifications received from TJJD to demonstrate due diligence in compliance.

Fees & Costs

• No New State Fees: There are no direct filing fees associated with this bill.
• Insurance Impact: Review Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI). Expect potential premium adjustments due to increased exposure to defamation or wrongful termination suits arising from reporting misconduct to TJJD.