By: Madla S.B. No. 1097 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to granting licensed psychologists membership or 1-2 privileges on the staff of a hospital or private mental hospital or 1-3 other mental health facility; and declaring an emergency. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 241, Health and Safety Code, is amended 1-6 by adding Section 241.1021 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 241.1021. AUTHORIZATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS IN RELATION 1-8 TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. (a) An applicant for medical staff membership 1-9 may not be denied membership solely on the ground that the 1-10 applicant is a psychologist. 1-11 (b) A psychologist on the medical staff may not be denied 1-12 clinical privileges, within the scope of his/her license, solely on 1-13 the grounds that he/she is a psychologist. 1-14 (c) This chapter does not authorize a psychologist to 1-15 perform acts that are beyond the scope of his/her respective 1-16 license. 1-17 (d) This chapter does not prevent the governing body of a 1-18 hospital from providing that a physician be responsible for the 1-19 care of any medical problem or condition, if any, of a patient 1-20 admitted by a psychologist. 1-21 (e) This chapter does not automatically entitle a 1-22 psychologist to membership or privileges on a medical staff. 1-23 SECTION 2. Chapter 577, Health and Safety Code, is amended 2-1 by adding Section 577.0081 to read as follows: 2-2 Sec. 577.0081. AUTHORIZATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS IN RELATION 2-3 TO PSYCHOLOGISTS. 2-4 (a) An applicant for medical staff membership may not be 2-5 denied membership solely on the ground that the applicant is a 2-6 psychologist. 2-7 (b) A psychologist on the medical staff may not be denied 2-8 clinical privileges, within the scope of his/her license, solely on 2-9 the grounds that he/she is a psychologist. 2-10 (c) This chapter does not authorize a psychologist to 2-11 perform acts that are beyond the scope of his/her respective 2-12 license. 2-13 (d) This chapter does not prevent the governing body of a 2-14 private mental hospital from providing that a physician be 2-15 responsible for the care of any medical problem or condition, if 2-16 any, of a patient admitted by a psychologist. 2-17 (e) This chapter does not automatically entitle a 2-18 psychologist to membership or privileges on a medical staff. 2-19 SECTION 3. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. The importance of this 2-20 legislation and the crowded condition of the calendars in both 2-21 houses create an emergency and an imperative public necessity that 2-22 the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-23 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.