By Pitts                                               H.B. No. 573
         76R793 JMM-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the continuing education requirements for certain
 1-3     medical professionals.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Medical Practice Act (Article
 1-6     4495b, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by adding Section
 1-7     3.026 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 3.026.  CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT FOR CERTAIN FREE
 1-9     MEDICAL SERVICES.  (a)  In this section, "a site serving a
1-10     medically underserved  population" has the meaning assigned by
1-11     Section 3.06.
1-12           (b)  The board by rule shall permit a license holder to earn
1-13     continuing medical education hours required under Section 3.025 by
1-14     providing free medical services at a site serving a medically
1-15     underserved population.
1-16           SECTION 2.  The Physician Assistant Licensing Act (Article
1-17     4495b-1, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) is amended by adding
1-18     Section 10A to read as follows:
1-19           Sec. 10A.  CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT FOR CERTAIN FREE
1-20     MEDICAL SERVICES.  (a)  In this section,  "a site serving a
1-21     medically underserved  population" has the meaning assigned by
1-22     Section 3.06, Medical Practice Act (Article 4495b, Vernon's Texas
1-23     Civil Statutes).
1-24           (b)  The board by rule shall permit a license holder to earn
 2-1     continuing medical education hours required to renew a license
 2-2     under this Act by  providing free medical services at a site
 2-3     serving a medically underserved population.
 2-4           SECTION 3.  Article 4518, Revised Statutes, is amended by
 2-5     adding Section 7A to read as follows:
 2-6           Sec. 7A.  CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT FOR CERTAIN FREE
 2-7     NURSING SERVICES.  (a)  In this section, "a site serving a
 2-8     medically underserved  population" has the meaning assigned by
 2-9     Section 3.06, Medical Practice Act (Article 4495b, Vernon's Texas
2-10     Civil Statutes).
2-11           (b)  The board by rule shall permit a license holder to earn
2-12     continuing education hours required under Section 7 of this article
2-13     by providing  free nursing services at a site serving a medically
2-14     underserved population.
2-15           SECTION 4.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-16           (b)  An entity required to adopt rules under this Act shall
2-17     adopt rules required by this Act not later than January 1, 2000.
2-18           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-19     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-20     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-21     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-22     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.