Texas Lawmakers Target Unlicensed Assisted Living Homes and Consultants

Dangers of Unlicensed Care Homes

• ⚠️ A WFAA investigation exposed dangerous conditions in unlicensed assisted living facilities, prompting legislative action.
• 💡 Stacy Cyford's mother, Jacquel, a dementia patient, was found on the floor covered in her own waste in a Grand Prairie boarding home in March 2024.
• 📌 The operator, Tiffany Brown, had repeatedly been found running illegal unlicensed facilities, yet it was only a civil matter, not a crime.

Legislative Crackdown

• ⚡ State Representative Chris Turner filed legislation to criminalize operating unlicensed assisted living facilities, proposing up to a year in jail for a first conviction.
• 🎯 The goal is to give law enforcement more tools to crack down on these dangerous operations.

Accountability for Consultants

• 🤝 State Senator Boris Smiles proposed legislation to place new requirements on consultants who refer clients to elderly housing.
• ⚖️ Consultants will be required to disclose any complaints received about unlicensed boarding homes.
• 🚫 Failure to disclose complaints would be punishable by up to 6 months in jail.

Legal Actions and Future Hope

• ⚖️ Tiffany Brown is currently facing an injury to an elderly person charge in Jacquel's case.
• 😔 Jacquel passed away of pneumonia last spring.
• 🙏 Lawmakers are hopeful that these two bills will be scheduled for a hearing and become law to protect vulnerable Texans.