1-1     By:  Harris                                            S.B. No. 202

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed January 14, 1997; January 16, 1997,

 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence;

 1-4     March 26, 1997, reported adversely, with favorable Committee

 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; March 26, 1997,

 1-6     sent to printer.)

 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 202                   By:  Harris

 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-9                                   AN ACT

1-10     relating to hospital liens on certain recoveries in civil actions.

1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-12           SECTION 1.  Chapter 55, Property Code, is amended by adding

1-13     Section 55.0045 to read as follows:

1-14           Sec. 55.0045.  PHYSICIAN'S CHARGES.  (a)  The lien may also

1-15     include the amount of a physician's charges for services provided

1-16     to the injured individual in the hospital's emergency room during

1-17     the period described by Section 55.004(a).

1-18           (b)  At the request of a physician, a hospital may act on

1-19     behalf of the physician with respect to securing and discharging

1-20     the lien.

1-21           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-22           SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act applies only

1-23     to services rendered by a physician on or after the effective date

1-24     of this Act.  Services rendered before the effective date of this

1-25     Act are governed by the law as it existed immediately before the

1-26     effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for

1-27     this purpose.

1-28           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-29     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-30     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-31     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-32     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

1-33                                  * * * * *