By Tillery                                             H.B. No. 885
         76R2476 MCK-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the presence of certain individuals in a hospital
 1-3     operating room.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 241, Health and Safety
 1-6     Code, is amended by adding Section 241.105 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 241.105.  PERSONNEL IN HOSPITAL OPERATING ROOM.  (a)
 1-8     Except as provided by Subsection (b), only the following persons
 1-9     may be present in an  operating room during a medical procedure:
1-10                 (1)  a health care provider licensed, certified, or
1-11     otherwise credentialed by the state;
1-12                 (2)  a medical student working under the supervision of
1-13     a licensed physician; and
1-14                 (3)  an individual who has information regarding the
1-15     patient's medical condition that is necessary to treat the patient.
1-16           (b)  A patient or other person legally authorized to consent
1-17     to medical treatment on the patient's behalf may sign a written
1-18     consent form authorizing nonmedical personnel to be present in an
1-19     operating room during a medical procedure.
1-20           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-21           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-22     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-23     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-24     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-1     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.