(a) Before the department may issue a license or certificate for the operation or the expansion of the capacity of a general residential operation, a cottage home operation, or a continuum-of-care residential operation that is located in a county with a population of less than 300,000, the applicant for the license, certificate, or expansion shall, at the applicant’s expense:
(1) conduct a public hearing on the application in accordance with department rules after notifying the department of the date, time, and location of the hearing; and
(2) publish notice of the application in a newspaper of general circulation in the community in which the child-care services are proposed to be provided.
(b) The notice required by Subsection (a)(2) must be published at least 10 days before the date of the public hearing required by Subsection (a)(1) and must include:
(1) the name and address of the applicant;
(2) the address at which the child-care services are proposed to be provided;
(3) the date, time, and location of the public hearing;
(4) the name, address, and telephone number of the department as the licensing authority; and
(5) a statement informing the public that a person may submit written comments to the department concerning the application instead of or in addition to appearing at the public hearing.

(c) The department shall require a representative of the department to attend the public hearing in an official capacity for the purpose of receiving public comments on the application.
(d) Before issuing a license or certificate described by Subsection (a), the department shall consider written information provided by an interested party directly to the department’s representative at the public hearing concerning:
(1) the amount of local resources available to support children proposed to be served by the applicant;
(2) the impact of the proposed child-care services on the ratio in the local school district of students enrolled in a special education program to students enrolled in a regular education program and the effect, if any, on the children proposed to be served by the applicant; and
(3) the impact of the proposed child-care services on the community and the effect on opportunities for social interaction for the children proposed to be served by the applicant.
(e) Based on the written information provided to the department’s representative at the public hearing, the department may deny the application if the department determines that:
(1) the community has insufficient resources to support children proposed to be served by the applicant;
(2) granting the application would significantly increase the ratio in the local school district of students enrolled in a special education program to students enrolled in a regular education program and the increase would adversely affect the children proposed to be served by the applicant; or
(3) granting the application would have a significant adverse impact on the community and would limit opportunities for social interaction for the children proposed to be served by the applicant.
(f) Repealed by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 317 (H.B. 7), Sec. 71, eff. September 1, 2017.
(g) Repealed by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 317 (H.B. 7), Sec. 71, eff. September 1, 2017.