1-1     By:  Berlanga (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini)            H.B. No. 2255

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 8, 1997;

 1-3     May 9, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on Health

 1-4     and Human Services; May 14, 1997, reported favorably by the

 1-5     following vote:  Yeas 10, Nays 0; May 14, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to the licensing of certain dentists and dental

 1-9     hygienists.

1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-11           SECTION 1.  Section 2(a), Article 4545a, Revised  Statutes,

1-12     is amended to read as follows:

1-13           (a)  The Board, upon payment by the applicant of a fee set by

1-14     the Board, shall grant a license to a dentist or dental hygienist

1-15     who has [not] graduated from a foreign dental or dental hygiene

1-16     school that is recognized by the government of the country in which

1-17     the school is located as providing appropriate educational

1-18     preparation for the practice of dentistry or dental hygiene in that

1-19     country [accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of

1-20     the American Dental Association] if:

1-21                 (1)  the dentist or dental hygienist has practiced for

1-22     a minimum of five years immediately prior to applying;

1-23                 (2)  the dentist or dental hygienist has not been the

1-24     subject of final or pending disciplinary action in any jurisdiction

1-25     in which the dentist or dental hygienist is or has been licensed;

1-26                 (3)  the Board, through a procedure adopted by rule,

1-27     determines [has determined] that the program the applicant attended

1-28     is the  educational [qualifications are] equivalent of a dental or

1-29     a dental hygienist program accredited by the Commission on Dental

1-30     Accreditation of the American Dental Association [to those required

1-31     to practice dentistry or dental hygiene in the state]; and

1-32                 (4)  the dentist or dental hygienist has completed all

1-33     examinations required by the Board for licensure.

1-34           SECTION 2.  Article 4545a, Revised Statutes, is amended by

1-35     adding Section 3 to read as follows:

1-36           Sec. 3.   (a)  The Dental Hygiene Advisory Committee shall

1-37     assist the Board in determining educational equivalency under

1-38     Section 2(a) of this article.

1-39           (b)  The advisory committee shall review transcripts, course

1-40     descriptions, and other material considered necessary by the Board

1-41     to determine educational equivalency.

1-42           (c)  A member of the advisory committee is not liable in a

1-43     civil action for any act performed in good faith in the execution

1-44     of that member's duty as a committee member.

1-45           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-46           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-47     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-48     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-49     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-50     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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