By Van de Putte                                       H.B. No. 1462
          Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1462:
          By Delisi                                         C.S.H.B. No. 1462
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the disclosure of certain information about certain
    1-3  patients of a physician.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 576.005, Health and Safety Code, is
    1-6  amended to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 576.005.  CONFIDENTIALITY OF RECORDS.  (a)  Records of a
    1-8  mental health facility that directly or indirectly identify a
    1-9  present, former, or proposed patient are confidential unless
   1-10  disclosure is permitted by other state law.
   1-11        (b)  If a treating physician determines that it is in the
   1-12  best interest of the patient, the treating physician <exercising
   1-13  reasonable medical judgment> may disclose necessary <orally the
   1-14  name or other> information that may identify <identity of> a
   1-15  patient under that <the> physician's care.  <May be determined,
   1-16  either directly or by reference to to other nonconfidential
   1-17  information, to:>
   1-18              <(1)  a member of the patient's immediate family; or>
   1-19              <(2)  an individual who the physician knows has a close
   1-20  personal relationship with the patient.>
   1-21        (c)  A disclosure under Subsection (b)  may not be made if
   1-22  the patient gives contrary written instructions to the treating
   1-23  physician.
   1-24        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-1  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-2  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-3  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-4  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-5  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-6  passage, and it is so enacted.