By Danburg                                      H.B. No. 2417

      75R8788 T                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the registration of Reiki Practitioners; providing

 1-3     civil and criminal penalties.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Title 71, Revised Statutes, is amended by adding

 1-6     Article 4590f to read as follows:

 1-7           Art. 4590f.  REIKI PRACTITIONERS REGISTRY

 1-8           Sec. 1.  SHORT TITLE.  This article may be cited as the Reiki

 1-9     Practitioner Registry Act.

1-10           Sec. 2.  PURPOSE.  To safeguard the public health, safety and

1-11     welfare and to prevent consumer fraud from the use of the term

1-12     Reiki to represent the person is competent in the ancient healing

1-13     art of Reiki when such person is not competent to practice Reiki,

1-14     it is the purpose of this Act to provide for a system of voluntary

1-15     registration and certification of persons delivering or teaching

1-16     the ancient art of Reiki.

1-17           Sec. 3.  DEFINITIONS.  In this Act:

1-18                 (1)  "Board" means the Texas Board of Health.

1-19                 (2)  "Reiki One Practitioner" means a person who has

1-20     completed a minimum of nine hours of course work over a minimum of

1-21     a two day period in a Board approved Reiki One course taught by a

1-22     registered Reiki Master Teacher and has passed a Reiki One

1-23     examination administered by the Board.

1-24                 (3)  "Reiki Two Practitioner" means a person who has

 2-1     completed the course work requirement for a Reiki One Practitioner,

 2-2     has completed a minimum of nine hours of course work over a minimum

 2-3     of a two day period in a Board approved Reiki Two course taught by

 2-4     a Reiki Master Teacher and has passed a Reiki Two examination

 2-5     administered by the Board.

 2-6                 (4)  "Reiki Professional Practitioner" means a person

 2-7     who has completed the course work required for registration as a

 2-8     Reiki One Practitioner and a Reiki Two Practitioner, has passed a

 2-9     Reiki Two examination administered by the Board, and has obtained a

2-10     Reiki Professional Degree issued by a Reiki Master Teacher.

2-11                 (5)  "Reiki Master Teacher" means a person who has

2-12     received a Reiki Master Teacher degree issued by a Reiki Touch or

2-13     Reiki Alliance Master Teacher.

2-14           Sec. 4.  PROHIBITED ACTS.  (a)  A person may not represent to

2-15     the public that the person is qualified to or practices to deliver

2-16     services as a Reiki One Practitioner, Reiki Two Practitioner, Reiki

2-17     Professional Practitioner, or Reiki Master Teacher unless such

2-18     person is registered with such designation with Board in compliance

2-19     with this Act.

2-20           (b)  A person may not represent that the person performs

2-21     Reiki services unless that person is registered with Board in

2-22     compliance with this Act.

2-23           (c)  A person may not use the word "Reiki" in connection with

2-24     their delivery of services unless that person is registered with

2-25     Board in compliance with this Act.

2-26           (d)  A person registered with Board under this Act may not

2-27     perform services for which a registration or license is required by

 3-1     any other law unless that person is registered or licensed under

 3-2     such other law.

 3-3           (e)  A person may represent to the public that such person is

 3-4     a "Registered Reiki One Practitioner", a "Registered Reiki Two

 3-5     Practitioner", a "Registered Reiki Professional Practitioner" or a

 3-6     "Reiki Master Teacher as long as that person is properly registered

 3-7     as such under this Act.

 3-8           Sec. 5.  DUTIES OF BOARD, ADVISORY COUNCIL.  (a)  The board

 3-9     shall adopt procedural rules to implement the registration

3-10     procedures under this Act.  The board also may adopt substantive

3-11     and procedural rules relating to:

3-12                 (1)  the minimum requirements for registration not

3-13     inconsistent with this Act;

3-14                 (2)  the probation, suspension, denial or revocation of

3-15     a registration;

3-16                 (3)  the setting of fees under this Act; and

3-17                 (4)  the adoption of forms required by this Act.

3-18           (b)  The board may not adopt substantive rules relating to

3-19     this Act other than substantive rules described by Subsection 9(a)

3-20     of this section or Section 3 of this Act.

3-21           (c)  The board shall appoint a five member advisory council

3-22     to be known as the Advisory Council of the Reiki Registry to advise

3-23     the board on matters relating to implementation of this Act.  The

3-24     members shall be appointed from different geographical areas within

3-25     the state to ensure representation of urban and rural interests

3-26     whenever possible.

3-27           (d)  The board shall appoint members of the council as

 4-1     follows:

 4-2                 (1)  two must be Reiki master Teachers eligible for

 4-3     registration under this Act as a Reiki Master Teacher;

 4-4                 (2)  one must be a physician licensed and practicing in

 4-5     this State; and

 4-6                 (3)  two must be consumers who do not have, and whose

 4-7     spouses do not have, a direct or indirect interest in any health

 4-8     care related business or trade association.

 4-9           (e)  The council shall annually elect a chairman and a

4-10     vice-chairman.

4-11           (f)  A council member is not entitled to compensation for

4-12     service on the council, but is entitled to the per diem and

4-13     transportation allowance for state officials set in the General

4-14     Appropriations Act for each day that the member engages in the

4-15     business of the council.

4-16           (g)  Members are appointed for staggered terms of six years,

4-17     with three terms beginning March 1 of each odd-numbered year.

4-18     Members shall serve until the expiration of the term to which they

4-19     have been appointed or until their successors have qualified.  A

4-20     member may not serve more than two terms.

4-21           Sec. 6.  POWERS AND DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT.  (a)  The

4-22     department shall administer this Act.

4-23           (b)  The department shall investigate persons engaging in

4-24     practices that violate this Act and shall investigate all

4-25     complaints filed with the department against persons registered

4-26     under this Act.

4-27           (c)  The department may employ administrative and clerical

 5-1     staff as necessary to carry out this Act.

 5-2           Sec. 7.  EXAMINATIONS.  (a)  The department shall administer

 5-3     a written qualifying examination once a year to applicants for

 5-4     registration as a Reiki One Practitioner and a Reiki Two

 5-5     Practitioner.  The qualifying examinations shall be professionally

 5-6     constructed and validated and objectively administered and scored.

 5-7           (b)  If a person fails to pass a qualifying examination, the

 5-8     person may reapply to take a subsequent examination.   An applicant

 5-9     who fails two successive examinations may not reapply until the

5-10     applicant completes any remedial work required by the department.

5-11           Sec. 8.  CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION.  (a)  On application

5-12     and payment of a registration fee, the department shall issue a

5-13     certificate of registration to each applicant who:

5-14                 (1)  presents evidence satisfactory to the department

5-15     that the applicant has successfully completed the number of

5-16     classroom hours required by this Act; and

5-17                 (2)  passes the appropriate examination required under

5-18     Section 7 of this Act.

5-19           (b)  A person may qualify and be registered as a Reiki One

5-20     Practitioner, a Reiki Two Practitioner, a Reiki Professional

5-21     Practitioner or a Reiki Master Teacher or each of the foregoing.

5-22           (c)  A person issued a certificate by the department shall

5-23     display the certificate in an appropriate public manner as

5-24     specified by board rule.

5-25           (d)  A certificate of registration is the property of the

5-26     department and must be surrendered on demand.

5-27           Sec. 9.  RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION.  (a)  A certificate of

 6-1     registration issued under this Act is valid for one year from the

 6-2     date of issuance.  To renew the registration, the registrant must

 6-3     submit an application for renewal in the manner prescribed by the

 6-4     board.  The application must be accompanied by a renewal fee and

 6-5     evidence that the applicant has successfully completed the

 6-6     continuing education courses required by board rule.   The board

 6-7     may not require more than four classroom hours of continuing

 6-8     education courses per year.  No continuing education requirements

 6-9     may be required of Reiki Master Teachers.

6-10           (b)  The department shall adopt a system under which

6-11     registrations expire and are renewed on various dates of the year.

6-12           (c)  A person registered under this Act who does not renew

6-13     the registration by the expiration date may renew the registration

6-14     not later than the 180th day after the expiration date by paying a

6-15     late registration fee  as prescribed by the board.

6-16           (d)  The registration of a person who fails to meet the

6-17     renewal requirements under this section is void until the person

6-18     submits a new application, pays the appropriate fees, and meets the

6-19     current requirements for registration.

6-20           Sec. 10.  ENFORCEMENT; PENALTY.  (a)  The board, the attorney

6-21     general, or the district or county attorney for the county in which

6-22     an alleged violation of this Act occurs, on the verified complaint

6-23     of any person, shall enforce this Act and rules adopted under this

6-24     Act by appropriate administrative proceedings or appropriate

6-25     judicial proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction.

6-26           (b)  A person commits an offense if the person violates this

6-27     Act.  An offense under this Act is a Class B misdemeanor.

 7-1           (c)  The attorney general or an attorney representing the

 7-2     state may sue in a court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin or

 7-3     restrain a person from violating this Act or a rule adopted under

 7-4     this Act.

 7-5           (d)  In addition to granting injunctive relief or any other

 7-6     remedy provided by law, a court may impose a civil penalty for a

 7-7     violation of this Act or a rule adopted under this Act.

 7-8           Sec. 11.  FEES; FUND.  (a)  The board by rule shall prescribe

 7-9     fees in the amounts necessary to administer this Act, not to

7-10     exceed:

7-11                 (1)  $100 for an initial application for a

7-12     registration;

7-13                 (2)  $50 for the issuance of a certificate of

7-14     registration;

7-15                 (3)  $30 for the annual renewal certificate of

7-16     registration; and

7-17                 (4)  $20 for issuance of a duplicate certificate of

7-18     registration or renewal certificate of registration.

7-19           (b)  The board shall deposit all amounts received under this

7-20     Act in the state treasury to the credit of a special fund known as

7-21     the Reiki registry fund.  Money in that fund is hereby appropriated

7-22     to the department to be used by the Texas Department of Health for

7-23     the administration of this Act.

7-24           Sec. 12.  DENIAL, SUSPENSION, REVOCATION, AND PROBATION.  (a)

7-25     The department may refuse to issue a certificate of registration to

7-26     an applicant, suspend or revoke a certificate of registration, or

7-27     place on probation an individual who is registered under this Act

 8-1     if the individual:

 8-2                 (1)  obtains a certificate by means of fraud,

 8-3     misrepresentation, or concealment of material facts;

 8-4                 (2)  sells, barters, or offers to sell or barter a

 8-5     certificate of registration;

 8-6                 (3)  violates Sec. 4 of this Act; or

 8-7                 (4)  practices any other activity for which

 8-8     registration or license is required by other law without such

 8-9     registration or license.

8-10           (b)  A person whose application of registration is denied,

8-11     suspended, or revoked is entitled to a hearing before the

8-12     department if the person submits a written request for a hearing to

8-13     the department.  A hearing is governed by department rules for a

8-14     contested hearing and by the Administrative Procedure and Texas

8-15     Register Act (Article 6252-13a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes).

8-16           Sec. 13.  APPLICATION OF THIS ACT.  (a)  This Act does not

8-17     prevent, limit or restrict a person licensed in this state under

8-18     any other law from engaging in the profession or occupation for

8-19     which the person is licensed and does not require such a person to

8-20     be registered under this Act.

8-21           (b)  This Act does not prevent, limit, or restrict an

8-22     employee of a person licensed in this state from performing the

8-23     duties of employment required by the licensed person and does not

8-24     require the employee to be registered under this Act.

8-25           (c)  This Act does not prohibit the Texas State Board of

8-26     Medical Examiners, the attorney general, or any other person

8-27     authorized by law from bringing appropriate actions to enforce the

 9-1     statutes of this state relating to the practice of medicine without

 9-2     a license.

 9-3           Sec. 14.  INITIAL APPOINTMENTS.  The term of an initial

 9-4     appointee to the council shall be determined by lot as follows:

 9-5                 (1)  two members are appointed for terms expiring March

 9-6     1, 1999;

 9-7                 (2)  two members are appointed for terms expiring March

 9-8     1, 2001; and

 9-9                 (3)  one member is appointed for a term expiring March

9-10     1, 2003.

9-11           SECTION 2.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  (a)  Except as provided in

9-12     Subsection (b) of this Section, this Act takes effect September 1,

9-13     1997.

9-14           (b)  Sections 4 and 10 of this act take effect September 1,

9-15     1998 and a person subject to this Act is not required to be

9-16     registered until September 1, 1998.

9-17           (c)  The department shall prorate initial registration fees

9-18     so that a registered person pays only for the part of the year that

9-19     occurs up to the expiration date of the registration.

9-20           (d)  A person who has been actively engaging in the practice

9-21     of Reiki One or Reiki Two is entitled to a certificate of

9-22     registration without examination if the person:

9-23                 (1)  meets the other qualifications contained with the

9-24     definition of such registration in Section 3 of this Act;

9-25                 (2)  applies to the department not later than August

9-26     31, 1998; and

9-27                 (3)  pays the registration fee set by the department.

 10-1          SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 10-2    crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 10-3    emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 10-4    constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 10-5    days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 10-6    and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its

 10-7    terms, and it is so enacted.