By Place H.B. No. 3348
75R8179 GJH-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the definition of physician in regard to medical
1-3 liability.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 1.03(a)(8), Medical Liability and
1-6 Insurance Improvement Act of Texas (Article 4590i, Vernon's Texas
1-7 Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
1-8 (8) "Physician" means:
1-9 (A) an individual [a person] licensed to
1-10 practice medicine in this state;
1-11 (B) a professional association formed under the
1-12 Texas Professional Association Act (Article 1528f, Vernon's Texas
1-13 Civil Statutes);
1-14 (C) a nonprofit health corporation certified
1-15 under Section 5.01 of the Medical Practice Act (Article 4495b,
1-16 Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes); and
1-17 (D) an entity wholly owned by physicians as used
1-18 under Section 2(m), Texas Health Maintenance Organization Act
1-19 (Article 20A.02(m), Vernon's Texas Insurance Code).
1-20 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and
1-21 applies only to a cause of action that arises on or after the
1-22 effective date of this Act. A cause of action that arises before
1-23 the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on
1-24 the day the cause of action arose, and the former law is continued
2-1 in effect for that purpose.
2-2 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.