By Uher                                         H.B. No. 1577

      75R6119 PB-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to peer assistance programs for licensed veterinarians.

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

 1-4           SECTION 1.  The Veterinary Licensing Act (Article 8890,

 1-5     Revised Statutes) is amended by adding Section 8A to read as

 1-6     follows:

 1-7           Sec. 8A.  (a)  The Board shall establish or approve a peer

 1-8     assistance program for persons licensed under this Act.

 1-9           (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c) of this section,

1-10     the peer assistance program must comply with Chapter 467, Health

1-11     and Safety Code.

1-12           (c)  The peer assistance program is funded as provided by

1-13     Section 14B(r) of this Act.  Section 467.004, Health and Safety

1-14     Code, does not apply to the peer assistance program established or

1-15     approved under this section.

1-16           SECTION 2.  Section 14B(r), The Veterinary Licensing Act

1-17     (Article 8890, Revised Statutes), is amended to read as follows:

1-18           (r)  The Board shall remit a [A] penalty collected under this

1-19     section [shall be remitted] to the comptroller for deposit in the

1-20     general revenue fund to the credit of a special account.  Money in

1-21     the account may be appropriated only to fund the peer assistance

1-22     program under Section 8A of this Act.  At the end of each fiscal

1-23     year, the comptroller shall transfer all unobligated and unexpended

1-24     amounts in the account to the undedicated portion of the general

 2-1     revenue fund.

 2-2           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and

 2-3     applies to an administrative penalty collected by the State Board

 2-4     of Veterinary Medical Examiners on or after that date.

 2-5           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-6     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-7     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-8     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-9     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.