1-1     By:  Uher (Senate Sponsor - Armbrister)               H.B. No. 1577

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 14, 1997;

 1-3     April 16, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on

 1-4     Finance; May 9, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:

 1-5     Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 9, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to peer assistance programs for licensed veterinarians.

 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-10           SECTION 1.  The Veterinary Licensing Act (Article 8890,

1-11     Revised Statutes) is amended by adding Section 8A to read as

1-12     follows:

1-13           Sec. 8A.   (a)  The Board shall establish or approve a peer

1-14     assistance program for persons licensed under this Act.

1-15           (b)  The peer assistance program must comply with Chapter

1-16     467, Health and Safety Code.

1-17           (c)  In addition to the authority for funding as provided by

1-18     Section 467.004, Health and Safety Code, the peer assistance

1-19     program shall be funded as provided by Section 14B(r) of this Act.

1-20           SECTION 2.  Section 14B(r), The Veterinary Licensing Act

1-21     (Article 8890, Revised Statutes), is amended to read as follows:

1-22           (r)  The Board shall remit a [A] penalty collected under this

1-23     section [shall be remitted] to the comptroller for deposit in the

1-24     general revenue fund to the credit of the peer assistance

1-25     appropriation. Penalties collected shall be reappropriated to the

1-26     Board for the purpose of funding the peer assistance program.  At

1-27     the end of each fiscal year, the comptroller shall transfer all

1-28     unobligated and unexpended amounts in the account to the

1-29     undedicated portion of the general revenue fund.

1-30           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and

1-31     applies to an administrative penalty collected by the State Board

1-32     of Veterinary Medical Examiners on or after that date.

1-33           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-34     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-35     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-36     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-37     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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