Amend CSSB 862 as follows: 1) On page 2, line 4, committee printed version, by striking Sec. 692.0145(a), Health and Safety Code, and inserting a new Sec. 692.0145(a) to read as follows: Sec. 692.0145. DISTRIBUTION OF VASCULAR ORGANS FOR TRANSPLANTATION. (a) A qualified organ procurement organization that receives the gift of a vascular organ that is suitable for transplantation shall distribute the organ for transplantation to an individual on a waiting list to be transplanted at a transplant center in this state. 2) On page 2, line 20, committee printed version, insert a new SECTION 5 to read as follows, and renumbering the remaining SECTIONs as appropriate: SECTION 5. Chapter 692, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Section 692.0147 to read as follows: Sec. 692.0147. OPTIMUM ORGAN ALLOCATION POLICY. (a) In this section: (1) "Department" means the Texas Department of Health; and (2) "Task Force" means the public multi-disciplinary task force on organ allocation established under this section. (b) Not later than July 1, 1999, the department shall establish a 13-member public task force on organ allocation in this state. The task force shall be composed of: (1) three individuals who represent each of the three qualified organ procurement organizations in this state; (2) three individuals with medical expertise in organ transplantation nominated by a statewide medical association, representing each of the three qualified organ procurement regions in this state; (3) three individuals with expertise in organ transplantation nominated by transplant centers in this state, representing each of the three qualified organ procurement regions in this state; (4) three members from the patient community, including patients waiting on vascularized organ transplantation lists in this state, representing each of the three qualified organ procurement regions in this state; and (5) one individual representing the operator of the national organ procurement and transplantation network and scientific registry of transplantation recipients, serving in an advisory capacity. (c) Not later than October 1, 2000, the task force shall examine the technical and policy issues surrounding the current organ allocation policy in this state, and develop and implement an optimum organ allocation policy for Texas. The policy shall consider, but is not limited to, the following criteria: (1) federal guidelines, as established by the appropriate federally-designated entity; (2) the utility of each organ recovered, in terms of: (A) organ type; (B) patient survival rates; (C) retransplantation rates; (D) transportation issues; and (E) medical urgency; (3) the efficiency and productivity of each organ procurement region, including import and export ratios, (4) waiting times at each transplant center in this state; (5) standardized listing criteria for transplant candidates; (6) the role that local transplant centers and referral patterns play in providing access to care in this state; (7) community efforts to encourage organ procurement; and (8) the need to encourage organ sharing within each region of the state. (d) Not later than December 1, 2000, the task force shall submit a detailed, written report to the governor and the legislature. The report shall include: (1) the components of the optimum organ allocation policy; and (2) recommendations for legislation that the task force considers necessary to implement the optimum organ allocation policy, if appropriate. (e) The department shall provide administrative support and services to the task force. (f) Task force members receive no compensation for their service. (g) In addition to any funds appropriated, the department may receive and accept gifts, grants, donations, and any other type of funds or things of value from any source to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the task force. (h) This section expires and the task force is abolished December 31, 2000.