By Van de Putte H.B. No. 970 76R4279 JMM-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the application of certain rules of the Texas State 1-3 Board of Pharmacy to certain pharmacy pilot and demonstration 1-4 projects. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Section 17(v), Texas Pharmacy Act (Article 1-7 4542a-1, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as 1-8 follows: 1-9 (v) The board may approve pilot and demonstration research 1-10 projects for innovative applications in the practice of pharmacy. 1-11 The board shall specify the procedures to be followed in applying 1-12 for approval of such a project. The approval may include the 1-13 granting of an exception to rules adopted under this Act. The 1-14 board may extend the time an exception to a rule is granted as 1-15 necessary for the board to adopt an amendment or modification of 1-16 the rule. The board may condition approval of a project on 1-17 compliance with this subsection and rules adopted under this 1-18 subsection. This subsection shall not be construed to expand the 1-19 definition of pharmacy as provided in this Act. Demonstration 1-20 projects shall not include therapeutic substitution or substitution 1-21 of medical devices used in patient care. 1-22 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 1-23 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-1 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-2 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-3 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.