SRC-JXG C.S.S.B. 1525 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1525 76R13021 SMH-FBy: Madla Health Services 4/21/1999 Committee Report (Substituted) DIGEST In 1983, under the Licensed Dietitian Act, the profession of dietetics was licensed. This Act is administered by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Dietitians (board), an independent state agency administratively attached to the Texas Department of Health. Licensed dietitians provide services including nutrition assessments, planning, counseling, care management, and evaluation as part of the health care delivery team, usually upon the order or referral of a physician or other practitioner. An individual who wants to qualify for licensure must have a baccalaureate degree in nutrition, dietetics, or a similar degree program from a regionally approved college or university, a supervised internship under the supervision of a licensed dietitian, and passed a state-administered or approved licensure examination. C.S.S.B. 1525 would add "medical nutrition therapy" to the services provided by a licensed dietitian, and would authorize the board to determine the qualifications of licensees that provide nutrition services. PURPOSE As proposed, C.S.S.B. 1525 adds the definition of "medical nutrition therapy" to the services provided by a licensed dietitian, and grants rulemaking authority to the Texas State Board of Examiners of Dietitians. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is granted to the Texas State Board of Examiners of Dietitians in SECTION 2 (Section 6(d), Article 4512h, V.T.C.S.) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 2, Article 4512h, V.T.C.S. (Licensed Dietitian Act), to redefine "nutrition services" and to define "medical nutrition therapy." Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 2. Amends Section 6, Article 4512h, V.T.C.S., by adding Subsection (d), to authorize the Texas State Board of Examiners of Dietitians (board) to adopt procedures and standards necessary to determine the qualifications of a person licensed under this Act to provide nutrition services under a law administered by another state agency. Provides that the board is the only state agency authorized to determine the qualifications of a person licensed under this Act to provide those services, notwithstanding any other law or rule. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4. Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES SECTION 1. Amends Section 2, Article 4512h, V.T.C.S., to add the definition of "medical nutrition therapy." Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes. Redesignates proposed SECTION 2 as SECTION 1. SECTION 2. Amends Section 6, Article 4512h, V.T.C.S., to authorize the board to adopt procedures and standards necessary to determine the qualifications of a person licensed under this Act to provide nutrition services under a law administered by another state agency. Provides that the board is the only state agency authorized to determine the qualifications of a person licensed under this Act to provide those services, notwithstanding any other law or rule. Makes conforming changes. Redesignates proposed SECTION 3 as SECTION 2. SECTION 3. Adds the effective date of September 1, 1999.