By: Armbrister S.B. No. 1018
97S0698/1
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to peer assistance programs for licensed veterinarians.
1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-3 SECTION 1. The Veterinary Licensing Act (Article 8890,
1-4 Revised Statutes) is amended by adding Section 8A to read as
1-5 follows:
1-6 Sec. 8A. (a) The Board shall establish or approve a peer
1-7 assistance program for persons licensed under this Act.
1-8 (b) Except as provided by Subsection (c) of this section,
1-9 the peer assistance program must comply with Chapter 467, Health
1-10 and Safety Code.
1-11 (c) The peer assistance program is funded as provided by
1-12 Section 14B(r) of this Act. Section 467.004, Health and Safety
1-13 Code, does not apply to the peer assistance program established or
1-14 approved under this section.
1-15 SECTION 2. Subsection (r), Section 14B, The Veterinary
1-16 Licensing Act (Article 8890, Revised Statutes), is amended to read
1-17 as follows:
1-18 (r) The Board shall remit a [A] penalty collected under this
1-19 section [shall be remitted] to the comptroller for deposit in the
1-20 general revenue fund to the credit of a special account. Money in
1-21 the account may be appropriated only to fund the peer assistance
1-22 program under Section 8A of this Act. At the end of each fiscal
1-23 year, the comptroller shall transfer all unobligated and unexpended
2-1 amounts in the account to the undedicated portion of the general
2-2 revenue fund.
2-3 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and
2-4 applies to an administrative penalty collected by the State Board
2-5 of Veterinary Medical Examiners on or after that date.
2-6 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
2-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.