Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Clearconnect Rule topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission proposes rule tying disciplinary steps to ClearConnect portal participation
Summary
Staff proposed a rule implementing a legislative requirement that labs participate in the DPS ClearConnect system; the proposal sets a staged process (notice, response, plan, deadline) before any disciplinary or accreditation action would be taken and was approved for proposal.
Staff presented a rule proposal to implement a legislative requirement (government code section 401.1163(b)) authorizing disciplinary action where laboratories fail to participate in the DPS ClearConnect system. The proposal described a staged compliance pathway: initial notice to the laboratory, a written response and remediation plan, a deadline for implementation, and only after that process would the commission consider accreditation or disciplinary steps. Staff emphasized outreach and transitional technical options for laboratories (API direct connect, SharePoint interim solutions) and noted a town hall for labs scheduled immediately after the meeting.
Commissioners moved to propose the rule amendment and the motion carried. Staff said the intent is not punitive immediate enforcement, but to ensure consistent access to reporting/records and to allow labs multiple technical pathways to comply while minimizing implementation costs for smaller laboratories.
Why it matters: ClearConnect participation affects data sharing between DPS and laboratories and is now a legislatively recognized compliance item; the rule will define the commission’s enforcement pathway and transitional timelines for laboratories that lack immediate connectivity.
