1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the definition of medical waste.

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

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 361.560(3), Health and Safety Code, is

 1-5     amended to read as follows:

 1-6                 (3)  "Medical waste" includes animal waste, bulk blood

 1-7     and blood products, microbiological waste, pathological waste,

 1-8     sharps, and special waste from health care-related facilities as

 1-9     those terms are defined in 25 TAC Section 1.132 (Tex. Dept. of

1-10     Health, Definition, Treatment, and Disposition of Special Waste

1-11     from Health Care-Related Facilities).  The term does not include

1-12     medical waste produced on farmland and ranchland as defined in

1-13     Section 252.001(6), Agriculture Code.  The term does not include

1-14     artificial, nonhuman materials removed from a patient and requested

1-15     by the patient, including but not limited to orthopedic devices and

1-16     breast implants.

1-17           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-18     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-19     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-20     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-21     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-22     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-23     passage, and it is so enacted.

         _______________________________     _______________________________

             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 956 was passed by the House on April

         11, 1997, by a non-record vote.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Chief Clerk of the House

               I certify that H.B. No. 956 was passed by the Senate on May

         12, 1997, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.

                                             _______________________________

                                                 Secretary of the Senate

         APPROVED:  _____________________

                            Date

                    _____________________

                          Governor