By:  Wilson                                           H.B. No. 1457
       73R6034 DLF-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to prohibiting hospital employees and medical staff from
    1-3  wearing surgical attire or hospital uniforms on the premises of
    1-4  certain food-related businesses.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 241, Health and Safety
    1-7  Code, is amended by adding Section 241.105 to read as follows:
    1-8        Sec. 241.105.  SURGICAL ATTIRE AND HOSPITAL UNIFORMS
    1-9  PROHIBITED ON PREMISES OF CERTAIN BUSINESSES.  (a)  Except as
   1-10  provided by Subsection (b), an employee of a hospital or a member
   1-11  of the medical staff may not wear any item of surgical attire or a
   1-12  hospital uniform on the premises of a food-related business.
   1-13        (b)  An employee of a hospital or a member of the medical
   1-14  staff may wear an item of surgical attire or a hospital uniform on
   1-15  the premises of a food-related business if necessary to respond to
   1-16  a medical emergency.
   1-17        (c)  The board shall adopt rules to enforce this section.
   1-18        (d)  In this section:
   1-19              (1)  "Food-related business" means a restaurant,
   1-20  grocery store, or other business the primary purpose of which is to
   1-21  sell or serve food to the public.
   1-22              (2)  "Surgical attire" means any item of clothing or
   1-23  protective apparel designed for use by employees and members of
   1-24  medical staff during surgery or other medical procedures, including
    2-1  surgical scrubs and similar items of apparel.
    2-2        SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993, and
    2-3  applies only to the wearing of surgical attire or hospital uniforms
    2-4  on or after January 1, 1994.
    2-5        (b)  Not later than December 31, 1993, the Texas Board of
    2-6  Health shall adopt rules under Section 241.105, Health and Safety
    2-7  Code, as added by this Act.
    2-8        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-9  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-10  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-11  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-12  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.