By Rodriguez                                     H.B. No. 379

      75R2483 SKB-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the delivery of patients to hospitals by emergency

 1-3     medical services providers.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 773, Health and Safety

 1-6     Code, is amended by adding Section 773.010 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 773.010.  TRANSPORTATION OF PATIENT REQUIRING EMERGENCY

 1-8     CARE.  An emergency medical services provider shall transport an

 1-9     injured patient requiring emergency medical care to the hospital

1-10     that is nearest the location where the patient is picked up and

1-11     that provides specialized medical care appropriate to the patient's

1-12     injury.

1-13           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and

1-14     applies only to a transportation of a patient to a hospital

1-15     occurring on or after that date.

1-16           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-17     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-18     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-19     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-20     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.