In the wake of Hurricane Beryl, Harris County implemented a groundbreaking regulation requiring assisted living facilities to install backup power systems to protect elderly residents during outages. However, a new state law passed in the most recent legislative session could render that local effort moot.
House Bill 3595, signed into law earlier this year, includes language that says its stipulations override local ordinances. That includes rules passed by local governments like Harris County. Commissioners unanimously passed a requirement for generators at assisted living facilities that could power air conditioning and critical systems during disasters. The new law only requires assisted living facilities statewide to maintain a climate-controlled “area of refuge” for residents. That room must be kept between 68 and 82 degrees, with at least 15 square feet of space per resident. The law also stops short of mandating backup generators or other permanent power solutions. The state already has a law requiring emergency power for nursing homes since 1996, but that power does not have to keep the heat or air conditioning on.
The Houston Chronicle’s energy and power grid reporter joined Eyewitness News Friday morning. Claire Hao said the new law is a win for industry groups that want flexibility in determining how to keep people safe, but it won’t actually change anything for residents…