BILL ANALYSIS


Public Health Committee
S.B. 1454
By: Rosson (Hirschi)
May 4, 1995
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND

Current law does not require medical schools to provide or medical
students to take pain treatment education course work.

PURPOSE

S.B. 1454 would encourage certain licensed physicians to complete
pain treatment education course work.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that additional rulemaking authority
is granted to the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners under
SECTION 4(b) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Adds Article 4495d to Chapter 6, Title 71, Revised
Statutes, as follows:

     Art. 4495d.  CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION IN PAIN TREATMENT. 
     Encourages a physician licensed under the Medical Practice
     Act, (Article 4495b, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), who
     submits an application for renewal of a license that
     designates a direct patient care practice and whose practice
     includes treating patients for pain to include continuing
     medical education in pain treatment among the hours of
     continuing medical education completed to comply with Section
     3.025(a)(2), Article 4495b, V.T.C.S.
SECTION 2. Adds Section 102.009(c), Health and Safety Code, to
require the Texas Cancer Council or its contracted projects to
maintain for physicians a listing of available continuing medical
education courses in pain treatment offered by accredited Texas
medical and osteopathic schools, hospitals, health care facilities,
or professional societies or associations for physicians.

SECTION 3. Adds Section 61.785 to Subchapter O, Chapter 61,
Education Code, as follows:

     Sec. 61.785.  PAIN TREATMENT MEDICAL EDUCATION COURSE WORK. 
     (a) Requires each medical school to determine the extent to
     which pain treatment medical education course work is meeting
     the instructional elements described in Subsection (b) offered
     to all students enrolled in medical schools.
     
     (b) States that pain treatment medical education course work
       should include instruction in specified topics.
       
       SECTION 4.   (a) Effective date: September 1, 1995.

     (b) Requires the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners to
     adopt rules under this Act not later than December 1, 1995.
     
     (c) Requires each medical school to report the analysis of
     pain treatment medical education course work to the Texas
     Higher Education Coordinating Board not later than March 1,
     1996.
     
     SECTION 5.     Emergency clause.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

S.B. 1454 was considered by the Public Health Committee in a formal
meeting on May 4, 1995. The bill was reported favorably without
amendment, with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed,
by a record vote of 7 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 PNV, and 2 ABSENT.