By:  Harris                                            S.B. No. 202

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to hospital liens on certain recoveries in civil actions.

 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-3           SECTION 1.  Chapter 55, Property Code, is amended by adding

 1-4     Section 55.0045 to read as follows:

 1-5           Sec. 55.0045.  PHYSICIAN'S CHARGES.  (a)  The lien may also

 1-6     include the amount of a physician's charges for services provided

 1-7     to the injured individual in the hospital's emergency room during

 1-8     the period described by Section 55.004(a).

 1-9           (b)  At the request of a physician, a hospital may act on

1-10     behalf of the physician with respect to securing and discharging

1-11     the lien.

1-12           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-13           SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act applies only

1-14     to services rendered by a physician on or after the effective date

1-15     of this Act.  Services rendered before the effective date of this

1-16     Act are governed by the law as it existed immediately before the

1-17     effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for

1-18     this purpose.

1-19           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.