BILL ANALYSIS


                                                         H.B. 871
                                                By: Maxey (Ellis)
                                        Health and Human Services
                                                          5-24-95
                              Senate Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND

Section 55.055(a), Property Code, mandates that when a person is
injured due to the negligence of another, the hospital must file
the lien in the county where the injury took place.  Due to modern
services, such as air-ambulances, treatment often occurs at a
hospital or trauma center in a county other than that in which the
injury occurred.  Every year, hospitals lose hundreds of thousands
of dollars for filing a lien in the wrong county.

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 871 requires a hospital, in order to secure a
lien, to file written notice of the lien with the county clerk of
the county in which the hospital services were provided.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 55.005(a), Property Code, to require a
hospital, to secure a lien under this section, to file written
notice of the lien with the county clerk of the county in which the
hospital services were provided.

SECTION 2. Emergency clause.
           Effective date: 90 days after adjournment.