HBA-JRA H.B. 677 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 677 By: Janek Public Health 2/22/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Texas State Board of Medical Examiners is in the process of changing the present institutional permit to a postgraduate resident permit. As a result, some county probate courts have determined that intern and resident physicians providing medical services under an institutional permit do not meet the definition of "physician" in the Texas Mental Health Code. H.B. 677 redefines "physician" to include an intern or resident physician providing medical services under an institutional permit at an approved Texas postgraduate training program, for the purpose of completing a certificate of medical examination for mental illness. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 574.009, Health and Safety Code, by adding Subsection (e), as follows: (e) Defines "physician," for the purposes of this section (Requirement of Medical Examination), as a person who is licensed to practice medicine in this state, is employed by a federal agency and has a license to practice medicine in any state, or is an intern or resident physician providing medical services under an institutional permit at a Texas postgraduate training program approved by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education, the American Osteopathic Association, or the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.