By Janek                                              H.B. No. 1977
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the practice of chiropractic.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Section 1, Chapter 94, Acts of the 51st
    1-5  Legislature, Regular Session, 1949, (Article 4512b, Vernon's Texas
    1-6  Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 1.  (a)  A person shall be regarded as practicing
    1-8  chiropractic within the meaning of this Act if the person:
    1-9              (1)  analyzes, examines, or evaluates the vertebral
   1-10  column, pelvis and musculoskeletal system for misalignments,
   1-11  subluxations, aberrant motion and/or function for the purpose of
   1-12  treating the various components of the vertebral subluxation
   1-13  complex.
   1-14              (2)  performs non-invasive procedures in order to
   1-15  improve the vertebral subluxation complex or other musculoskeletal
   1-16  conditions to improve the vertebral subluxation complex.
   1-17              (3)  holds himself out to the public as a chiropractor
   1-18  or uses the term "chiropractor," "chiropractic," "doctor of
   1-19  chiropractic," "D.C." or any derivative of those terms in
   1-20  connection with his name.  The use of "physician" or "chiropractic
   1-21  physician" is prohibited.
   1-22        (b)  the practice of chiropractic shall not be construed to
   1-23  include invasive or surgical procedures, prescribing controlled or
    2-1  dangerous drugs, or the diagnosis or treatment of any illness,
    2-2  injury or defect of the following human organ systems:
    2-3              1.  Cardiovascular system
    2-4              2.  Respiratory system
    2-5              3.  Genitourinary system
    2-6              4.  Musculoskeletal system involving structures not
    2-7                  contiguous to the vertebral axis.
    2-8              5.  Central Nervous system involving structures
    2-9                  cephalad to the vertebral axis.
   2-10              6.  Immunologic or hematopoietic systems
   2-11              7.  Endocrine system
   2-12              8.  Gynecologic system
   2-13        (c)  For suspected illnesses, injuries or defects of the
   2-14  aforementioned organ systems, the chiropractor shall have the
   2-15  authority to refer a patient to an allopathic or osteopathic
   2-16  physician.
   2-17        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-18  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-19  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-20  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-21  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   2-22  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   2-23  passage, and it is so enacted.