(a) Each state hospital may petition the state hospital associate commissioner or the state hospital associate commissioner's designee to suspend in-person essential caregiver visitation if in-person visitation poses a serious community health risk.(1) The state hospital associate commissioner or designee may only approve a suspension for up to seven calendar days.(2) State hospitals must request each suspension separately.(3) The state hospital associate commissioner may deny the state hospital request if HHSC determines that in-person visitation does not pose a serious community health risk.(b) Each state hospital may petition the state hospital associate commissioner or the state hospital associate commissioner's designee to extend a suspension of in-person essential caregiver visitation for more than seven calendar days if in-person visitation continues to pose a serious community health risk.(1) The state hospital associate commissioner or designee may only approve an extension for up to seven calendar days.(2) State hospitals must request each extension separately.(3) The state hospital associate commissioner may deny the state hospital request if HHSC determines that in-person visitation does not pose a serious community health risk.(c) A state hospital may not suspend in-person essential caregiver visitation in the 12 months from the date of the initial suspension for a period that:(1) is more than 14 consecutive calendar days; or(2) is more than a total of 45 calendar days.