By:  Moncrief                                         S.B. No. 1607

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the retention of certain medical records.

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

 1-3           SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Medical Practice Act (Article

 1-4     4495b, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by adding Section

 1-5     5.085 to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 5.085.  RETENTION OF MEDICAL RECORDS.  The board shall

 1-7     by rule establish the length of time patient records must be

 1-8     maintained.

 1-9           SECTION 2.  The Texas State Board of Medical Examiners shall

1-10     adopt rules for the retention of medical records under Section

1-11     5.085, Medical Practice Act (Article 4495b, Vernon's Texas Civil

1-12     Statutes), as added by this Act, not later than January 1, 1998.

1-13           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-14     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-15     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-16     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-17     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-18     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-19     passage, and it is so enacted.