1-1     By:  Moncrief                                         S.B. No. 1607

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 14, 1997; March 24, 1997, read

 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services;

 1-4     April 21, 1997, reported adversely, with favorable Committee

 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0; April 21, 1997,

 1-6     sent to printer.)

 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1607                By:  Moncrief

 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-9                                   AN ACT

1-10     relating to the retention of certain medical records.

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

1-12           SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Medical Practice Act (Article

1-13     4495b, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by adding Section

1-14     5.085 to read as follows:

1-15           Sec. 5.085.  RETENTION OF MEDICAL RECORDS.  The board shall

1-16     by rule establish the length of time patient records must be

1-17     maintained.

1-18           SECTION 2.  The Texas State Board of Medical Examiners shall

1-19     adopt rules for the retention of medical records under Section

1-20     5.085, Medical Practice Act (Article 4495b, Vernon's Texas Civil

1-21     Statutes), as added by this Act, not later than January 1, 1998.

1-22           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-23     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-24     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-25     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-26     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-27     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-28     passage, and it is so enacted.

1-29                                  * * * * *