Tex. Health & Safety Code Section 341.069
Access to Restroom Facilities


Mentioned in

What is Ally’s Law in Texas, and what happens if someone violates it?

Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 17, 2023

“The law guarantees that people with provable medical conditions that create an emergency need to use bathroom facilities can’t be denied access, even if the restrooms are not technically public.”
 
Bibliographic info

(a)

In this section:

(1)

“Customer” means an individual who is lawfully on the premises of a retail establishment.

(2)

“Eligible medical condition” means Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, or any other permanent or temporary medical condition that requires immediate access to a toilet facility.

(3)

“Physician” has the meaning assigned by Section 151.002 (Definitions), Occupations Code.

(4)

“Retail establishment” means a place of business open to the general public for the sale of goods or services.

(b)

A retail establishment that has a toilet facility for its employees shall allow a customer to use the toilet facility during normal business hours if:

(1)

the retail establishment does not have a public restroom that is immediately accessible to the customer;

(2)

the employee toilet facility is not located in an area where providing access would create an obvious health or safety risk to the customer or an obvious security risk to the retail establishment;

(3)

the customer requesting use of the employee toilet facility provides the retail establishment with evidence of the customer’s eligible medical condition including:

(A)

a copy of a statement signed by a physician, a registered nurse, a physician’s assistant, or a person acting under the delegation and supervision of a licensed physician in conformance with Subchapter A (General Authority of Physician to Delegate), Chapter 157 (Authority of Physician to Delegate Certain Medical Acts), Occupations Code, that indicates the customer suffers from an eligible medical condition or uses an ostomy device; or

(B)

an identification card that is issued by a nationally recognized health organization or a local health department and that indicates the customer suffers from an eligible medical condition or uses an ostomy device; and

(4)

three or more employees of the retail establishment are working and physically present on the premises of the retail establishment at the time the customer requests to use the employee toilet facility.

(c)

A customer who uses a toilet facility as authorized by this section shall leave the toilet facility in the same condition as it was before the customer used the toilet facility.

(d)

In providing access to an employee toilet facility under this section, the retail establishment or employee does not owe the customer to whom access is provided a greater degree of care than is owed to a licensee on the premises.

(e)

An employee of a retail establishment who refuses to provide a customer with access to an employee toilet facility as required by this section commits an offense. An offense under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $100.

(f)

A retail establishment is not required to make any physical changes to an employee toilet facility under this section.
Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 613 (H.B. 416), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2007.

Source: Section 341.069 — Access to Restroom Facilities, https://statutes.­capitol.­texas.­gov/Docs/HS/htm/HS.­341.­htm#341.­069 (accessed May 4, 2024).

341.001
Definitions
341.002
Rules for Sanitation and Health Protection
341.011
Nuisance
341.012
Abatement of Nuisance
341.013
Garbage, Refuse, and Other Waste
341.014
Disposal of Human Excreta
341.015
Sanitation of Ice Plants
341.016
Sanitation of Businesses
341.017
Sanitation Facilities for Railroad Maintenance-of-way Employees
341.018
Rodent Control
341.019
Mosquito Control on Uninhabited Residential Property
341.031
Public Drinking Water
341.032
Drinking Water Provided by Common Carrier
341.033
Protection of Public Water Supplies
341.034
Licensing and Registration of Persons Who Perform Duties Relating to Public Water Supplies
341.035
Approved Plans Required for Public Water Supplies
341.036
Sanitary Defects at Public Drinking Water Supply Systems
341.037
Protection of Bodies of Water from Sewage
341.038
Protection of Impounded Water from Disease-bearing Mosquitoes
341.039
Standards for Graywater and Alternative Onsite Water
341.040
Definition
341.041
Fees
341.042
Standards for Harvested Rainwater
341.046
Nonapplicability of Subchapter F
341.047
Criminal Penalty
341.048
Civil Enforcement
341.049
Administrative Penalty
341.050
Penalties Cumulative
341.061
Toilet Facilities
341.062
Public Buildings
341.063
Sanitation of Bus Line, Airline, and Coastwise Vessel
341.064
Swimming Pools, Artificial Swimming Lagoons, and Bathhouses
341.065
School Buildings and Grounds
341.066
Tourist Courts, Hotels, Inns, and Rooming Houses
341.067
Fairgrounds, Public Parks, and Amusement Centers
341.068
Restroom Availability Where the Public Congregates
341.069
Access to Restroom Facilities
341.081
Authority of Home-rule Municipalities Not Affected
341.082
Appointment of Environmental Health Officer in Certain Home-rule Municipalities
341.091
Criminal Penalty
341.092
Civil Enforcement
341.0315
Public Drinking Water Supply System Requirements
341.0316
Desalination of Marine Seawater for Drinking Water
341.0351
Notification of System Changes
341.0352
Advertised Quality of Water Supply
341.0353
Drinking Water Supply Comparative Rating Information
341.0354
Highway Signs for Approved System Rating
341.0355
Financial Assurance for Certain Systems
341.0356
Order to Stop Operations
341.0357
Identification Requirement for Device with Appearance of Fire Hydrant that Is Nonfunctioning or Unavailable for Use in Fire Emergency
341.0358
Public Safety Standards
341.0359
Fire Hydrant Flow Standards
341.0391
Direct Potable Reuse Guidance
341.0485
Water Utility Improvement Account
341.0645
Pool Safety
341.0646
Child Water Safety Requirements for Certain Organizations
341.0695
Interactive Water Features and Fountains
341.03571
Identification Requirement for Certain Fire Hydrants and Flush Valves in Certain Municipalities
341.03585
Fire Hydrant Flow and Pressure Standards in Certain Municipalities

Accessed:
May 4, 2024

§ 341.069’s source at texas​.gov