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 * * * * *