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Senate Bill 292 |
Senate Author: Nelson |
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Effective: See below |
House Sponsor: King, Susan |
Senate Bill 292 amends the Occupations Code to require each person licensed to practice medicine in Texas to submit updated emergency contact information to the Texas Medical Board not later than December 1, 2009. The board is prohibited from publishing or releasing the contact information except to certain entities in the event of a public health emergency declared by the governor.
Senate Bill 292 also establishes the Texas Physician Health Program to promote physician and physician assistant wellness and the treatment of all health conditions that have the potential to compromise the physician's or physician assistant's ability to practice, including mental health, substance abuse, and addiction issues. The bill provides for the appointment of a medical director for the program, governing board of the program, and physician health and rehabilitation advisory committee to assist the governing board, and sets forth duties and requirements for each. The bill authorizes the board or the physician assistant board to make referrals to the program and to require participation in the program as a prerequisite for issuing or maintaining a license to practice medicine. The bill includes provisions relating to the program's funding and authorizes the board to set and collect a fee for the administration of the program not to exceed $1,200 for a program participant. Effective January 1, 2010, the bill repeals several provisions relating to rehabilitation orders placed on physicians and physician assistants as a prerequisite for issuing a license. All other provisions take effect September 1, 2009.