By Gray                                               H.B. No. 2635
         76R7635 MXM-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the regulation of dental hygienists.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 2, Chapter 475, Acts of the 52nd
 1-5     Legislature, Regular Session, 1951 (Article 4551e, Vernon's Texas
 1-6     Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 2.  QUALIFICATIONS.  A dental hygienist shall be:
 1-8                 (1)  not less than eighteen (18) years of age;
 1-9                 (2)  [and] a graduate of an accredited high school or
1-10     hold a certificate of high school equivalency (GED); and
1-11                 (3)  [be] a graduate of a recognized school or college
1-12     of dentistry or dental hygiene accredited by the Commission on
1-13     Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association and
1-14     approved by the State Board of Dental Examiners that includes at
1-15     least two full academic years of instruction or its equivalent at
1-16     the postsecondary level.
1-17           SECTION 2.  Section 4A, Chapter 475, Acts of the 52nd
1-18     Legislature, Regular Session, 1951 (Article 4551e, Vernon's Texas
1-19     Civil Statutes), is amended by adding Subsections (e) and (f) to
1-20     read as follows:
1-21           (e)  The advisory committee is subject to Chapter 325,
1-22     Government Code (Texas Sunset Act).  Unless continued in existence
1-23     as provided by that chapter, the advisory committee is abolished
1-24     September 1, 2005.
 2-1           (f)  The advisory committee is not subject to Section
 2-2     2110.008, Government Code.
 2-3           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-4           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-5     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-6     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-7     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-8     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.