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.