By Wilson                                             H.B. No. 1530
         76R6423 DLF-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to prohibiting hospital employees and medical staff from
 1-3     wearing surgical attire or hospital uniforms on the premises of
 1-4     certain food-related businesses.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 241, Health and Safety
 1-7     Code, is amended by adding Section 241.105 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 241.105.  SURGICAL ATTIRE AND HOSPITAL UNIFORMS
 1-9     PROHIBITED ON PREMISES OF CERTAIN BUSINESSES.  (a)  In this
1-10     section:
1-11                 (1)  "Food-related business" means a restaurant,
1-12     grocery store, or other business the primary purpose of which is to
1-13     sell or serve food to the public.
1-14                 (2)  "Surgical attire" means any item of clothing or
1-15     protective apparel designed for use by employees and members of
1-16     medical staff during surgery or other medical procedures, including
1-17     surgical scrubs and other similar items of apparel.
1-18           (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), an employee of a
1-19     hospital or a member of the medical staff may not wear any item of
1-20     surgical attire or a hospital uniform on the premises of a
1-21     food-related business.
1-22           (c)  An employee of a hospital or a member of the medical
1-23     staff may wear an item of surgical attire or a hospital uniform on
1-24     the premises of a food-related business if necessary to respond to
 2-1     a medical emergency.
 2-2           (d)  The board shall adopt rules to enforce this section.
 2-3           SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
 2-4     applies only to the wearing of surgical attire or hospital uniforms
 2-5     on or after January 1, 2000.
 2-6           (b)  Not later than December 31, 1999, the Texas Board of
 2-7     Health shall adopt rules under Section 241.105, Health and Safety
 2-8     Code, as added by this Act.
 2-9           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-10     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-11     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-12     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-13     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.