By Maxey                                              H.B. No. 1515
         76R2504 GJH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the creation of a health professions task force.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  TASK FORCE; MEMBERSHIP.  (a)  Not later than
 1-5     October 1, 1999, the lieutenant governor and speaker of the house
 1-6     of representatives shall appoint 16 persons to serve on a health
 1-7     professions task force.
 1-8           (b)  The health professions task force consists of the
 1-9     following members:
1-10                 (1)  two members of the Health Professions Council
1-11     established under Article 4512p, Revised Statutes;
1-12                 (2)  two public members;
1-13                 (3)  two members who are experts in medical policy and
1-14     ethics issues;
1-15                 (4)  two members who are representatives of academic
1-16     health centers in this state;
1-17                 (5)  two members who are representatives of
1-18     professional medical associations;
1-19                 (6)  two members who are representatives of
1-20     professional nurse associations;
1-21                 (7)  two members who are representatives of health care
1-22     professions other than the practice of nursing or medicine; and
1-23                 (8)  two members who are representatives of the health
1-24     professions resource center established under Section 105.002,
 2-1     Health and Safety Code.
 2-2           SECTION  2.    TASK FORCE DUTIES.  (a)  In this section,
 2-3     "health professions board" means a state agency that licenses,
 2-4     certifies, or registers a health care practitioner.
 2-5           (b)  The health professions task force shall thoroughly
 2-6     investigate for each health professions board:
 2-7                 (1)  the composition of the board;
 2-8                 (2)  the complaint and grievance procedures of the
 2-9     board;
2-10                 (3)  the disciplinary procedures of the board;
2-11                 (4)  the licensing and licensing renewal requirements
2-12     of the board;
2-13                 (5)  board criteria for reciprocity with other
2-14     jurisdictions of each profession regulated by the board;
2-15                 (6)  required credentials of each profession regulated
2-16     by the board;
2-17                 (7)  dissemination of consumer information by the
2-18     board; and
2-19                 (8)  the continuing education requirements of the
2-20     board.
2-21           (c)  Not later than January 1, 2000, the health professions
2-22     task force shall submit to the legislature and statewide health
2-23     coordinating council a detailed report of its findings accompanied
2-24     by recommended solutions to the major issues facing health
2-25     professions regulation.
2-26           SECTION 3.  EXPIRATION.  This Act expires March 1, 2000.
2-27           SECTION 4.  EMERGENCY.  The importance of this legislation
 3-1     and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 3-2     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 3-3     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 3-4     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
 3-5     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 3-6     passage, and it is so enacted.