By Maxey                                         H.B. No. 607

      75R4037 MCK-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the creation of a durable medical equipment listing.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Title 7, Human Resources Code, is amended by

 1-5     adding Chapter 116 to read as follows:

 1-6               CHAPTER 116.  DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT LISTING

 1-7           Sec. 116.001.  DEFINITION.  In this chapter, "commission"

 1-8     means the Texas Rehabilitation Commission.

 1-9           Sec. 116.002.  DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT LISTING.  (a)  The

1-10     commission shall establish a listing to facilitate the reuse of

1-11     durable medical equipment.

1-12           (b)  The commission shall maintain a toll-free telephone

1-13     number to list items of durable medical equipment that are

1-14     available for donation.

1-15           (c)  The commission shall design a sticker that contains an

1-16     informative statement about the durable medical equipment listing

1-17     and the toll-free telephone number for the listing and that may be

1-18     affixed to durable medical equipment.

1-19           (d)  The commission shall provide the stickers described by

1-20     Subsection (c) to each retailer of durable medical equipment in the

1-21     state.

1-22           (e)  Before an item of durable medical equipment is sold to a

1-23     consumer other than a hospital or other health care provider, the

1-24     retailer shall affix the sticker described by Subsection (c) to the

 2-1     item.

 2-2           (f)  Chapter 2175, Government Code, does not apply to any

 2-3     equipment listed in the durable medical equipment listing under

 2-4     this chapter.

 2-5           Sec. 116.003.  LOCAL ORGANIZATION.  The commission shall

 2-6     encourage the establishment of local organizations to facilitate

 2-7     the reuse of durable medical equipment.

 2-8           Sec. 116.004.  AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT.  The commission may

 2-9     contract with local organizations and other state agencies to

2-10     facilitate the reuse of durable medical equipment.

2-11           Sec. 116.005.  PUBLICLY OWNED DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT.  The

2-12     commission shall ensure that any publicly owned durable medical

2-13     equipment listed with the durable medical equipment listing is

2-14     donated to an indigent individual.

2-15           Sec. 116.006.  RULES.  The commission may adopt rules to

2-16     administer this chapter.

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.