By Chisum                                              H.B. No. 213

         75R4884 MI-F                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the composition and duties of the radiation advisory

 1-3     board.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 401.015(a), Health and Safety Code, is

 1-6     amended to read as follows:

 1-7           (a)  The radiation advisory board is composed of the

 1-8     following 18 members appointed by the governor:

 1-9                 (1)  one representative from industry who is trained in

1-10     nuclear physics, science, or nuclear engineering;

1-11                 (2)  one representative from labor;

1-12                 (3)  one representative from agriculture;

1-13                 (4)  one representative from the insurance industry;

1-14                 (5)  one individual who is engaged in the use and

1-15     application of nuclear physics in medicine and is certified by the

1-16     American Board of Radiology or licensed by the Texas Board of

1-17     Licensure for Professional Medical Physicists;

1-18                 (6)  [one representative from public safety;]

1-19                 [(7)]  one hospital administrator;

1-20                 (7) [(8)]  one individual licensed by the Texas State

1-21     Board of Medical Examiners who specializes in nuclear medicine;

1-22                 (8) [(9)]  one individual licensed by the Texas State

1-23     Board of Medical Examiners who specializes in pathology;

1-24                 (9) [(10)]  one individual licensed by the Texas State

 2-1     Board of Medical Examiners who specializes in radiology;

 2-2                 (10) [(11)]  one representative from the nuclear

 2-3     utility industry;

 2-4                 (11) [(12)]  one representative from the radioactive

 2-5     waste [processing] industry;

 2-6                 (12) [(13)]  one representative from the petroleum

 2-7     [well-servicing] industry;

 2-8                 (13) [(14)]  one health physicist certified by the

 2-9     American Board of Health Physics;

2-10                 (14) [(15)]  one individual licensed by the State Board

2-11     of Dental Examiners;

2-12                 (15) [(16)]  one representative from the uranium mining

2-13     industry; and

2-14                 (16)  three [(17)  two]  representatives of the public.

2-15           SECTION 2.  Sections 401.018(b) and (c), Health and Safety

2-16     Code, are amended to read as follows:

2-17           (b)  The advisory board shall hold special meetings that may

2-18     be called by the advisory board chairman [commissioner] or by five

2-19     [three] advisory board members.

2-20           (c)  Advisory board meetings may be held at any designated

2-21     place in the state determined by the advisory board chairman

2-22     [commissioner] to best serve the purpose for which the meeting is

2-23     called.

2-24           SECTION 3.  Section 401.019, Health and Safety Code, is

2-25     amended to read as follows:

2-26           Sec. 401.019.  ADVISORY BOARD DUTIES.  The advisory board

2-27     shall:

 3-1                 (1)  review and evaluate state radiation policies and

 3-2     programs;

 3-3                 (2)  make recommendations [to the department] and

 3-4     furnish technical advice to the department, the commission, the

 3-5     Railroad Commission of Texas, and other state agencies that may be

 3-6     required on matters relating to development, use, and regulation of

 3-7     sources of radiation; and

 3-8                 (3)  review proposed [department] rules and guidelines

 3-9     of any state agency relating to regulation of sources of radiation

3-10     and recommend changes in proposed or existing rules and guidelines

3-11     relating to those matters.

3-12           SECTION 4.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

3-13           (b)  Promptly after the effective date of this Act, the

3-14     governor shall appoint a third public representative to the

3-15     radiation advisory board to serve an initial term equal to the

3-16     remainder of the term of the public safety representative who is

3-17     serving on the day preceding the effective date of this Act.

3-18           (c)  The public safety representative who is serving on the

3-19     radiation advisory board on the day preceding the effective date of

3-20     this Act serves until the third public representative appointed by

3-21     the governor qualifies to serve on the board.

3-22           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the

3-23     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

3-24     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

3-25     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

3-26     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.