By Brady                                              H.B. No. 3141
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to inclusion of a psychologist on the medical advisory
    1-3  committee appointed by the Texas Workers Compensation Commission
    1-4  and the treatment of mental trauma injuries by a psychologist under
    1-5  the Texas workers compensation system; and declaring an emergency.
    1-6        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-7        SECTION 1.  Section 401.011, Subdivision (42) Labor Code, is
    1-8  amended to read as follows:
    1-9              (42)  "Treating doctor" means the doctor who is
   1-10  primarily responsible for the employee's health care for an injury
   1-11  or when requested by an injured worker, insurance carrier, or other
   1-12  health care provider, and subject to approval by the insurance
   1-13  carrier, a licensed psychologist may serve as the treating doctor
   1-14  in cases where the only condition receiving health care under this
   1-15  subtitle is a compensable mental trauma injury.
   1-16        SECTION 2.  Section 413.005, Subsection (b), Labor Code, is
   1-17  amended to read as follows:
   1-18        (b)  The medical advisory committee is composed of members
   1-19  appointed by the commission as follows:
   1-20              (1)  a representative of a public health care facility;
   1-21              (2)  a representative of a private health care
   1-22  facility;
   1-23              (3)  a doctor of medicine;
    2-1              (4)  a doctor of osteopathic medicine;
    2-2              (5)  a chiropractor;
    2-3              (6)  a dentist;
    2-4              (7)  a physical therapist;
    2-5              (8)  a pharmacist;
    2-6              (9)  a podiatrist;
    2-7              (10)  a psychologist;
    2-8              <(10)> (11)  an occupational therapist;
    2-9              <(11)> (12)  a medical equipment supplier;
   2-10              <(12)> (13)  a registered nurse;
   2-11              <(13)> (14)  a representative of employers;
   2-12              <(14)> (15)  a representative of employees; and
   2-13              <(15)> (16)  two representatives of the general public.
   2-14        (c)  Each member of the medical advisory committee must be
   2-15  knowledgeable and qualified regarding work-related injuries and
   2-16  diseases.
   2-17        (d)  The commission shall designate the presiding officer of
   2-18  the medical advisory committee.
   2-19        (e)  The medical advisory committee shall meet at the call of
   2-20  its presiding officer or at the call of a majority of the
   2-21  committee.
   2-22        SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   2-23        SECTION 4.  EMERGENCY CLAUSE.  The importance of this
   2-24  legislation and the crowded condition of the calendars in both
   2-25  houses create an emergency and an imperative public necessity that
    3-1  the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    3-2  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.