ADDITIONAL LICENSE FEE--NURSING AND CONVALESCENT HOMES

(a) In addition to the license fee provided by Section 242.034, the executive commissioner by rule shall adopt an annual fee to be collected by the department if the amount of the nursing and convalescent home trust fund is less than $10,000,000. The fee shall be deposited to the credit of the nursing and convalescent home trust fund created by this subchapter. (b) The department may charge and collect a fee under this section more than once each year only if necessary to ensure that the amount in the nursing and convalescent home trust fund is sufficient to make the disbursements required under Section 242.096. If the department makes a second or subsequent assessment under this subsection in any year, the department shall notify the governor and the members of the Legislative Budget Board. (c) The executive commissioner shall set the fee for each nursing and convalescent home at $1 for each licensed unit of capacity or bed space in that home or in an amount necessary to provide not more than $10,000,000 in the fund. The total fees assessed in a year may not exceed $20 for each licensed unit of capacity or bed space in a home. (d) This section does not apply to a veterans home as defined by Section 164.002, Natural Resources Code.